The Other Side
by MoopzVader
Summary: Luke, Leia, and her kids get pulled into a strange place... Read it to find out where! It's a little slow at first, but it speeds up at the second chapter.
1. Default Chapter Title

All these characters, and all this universe belongs to the almighty George, I've made no money off of this. (mutter, mutter)  
If you want to post this story, ask me, PLEASE!!!  
  
Have fun!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
11 years after Endor...  
  
  
  
The lights of the planet Coruscant glittered brightly in the cold darkness of space. A ship arced downward toward the atmosphere, the minds of the crew aboard it bright and young. Luke Skywalker watched it go, then turned to enter the huge building that housed the Provisional Council. Heading toward the doors that muffled the sounds of arguing, he caught sight of a man, a few years older then he, lounging hip-hitched against the doorframe. "Fancy meeting you here." Luke murmured glancing over again at the door. " I thought you'd be home with the kids."   
Han Solo, a lopsided grin on his face, shook his head. " I know. If I'm not home soon, the twins will torch the place, then Anakin will vacuum the ashes and dump them into a lake somewhere." Luke smiled, which was a rare occurrence lately. His niece and nephews could cause that kind of damage, and then make like nothing ever happened. They were definitely Han's kids. Before he could answer, though, the door to the Inner Council opened and Leia Organa Solo stepped out.   
Looking exasperated and tired, she walked over to them. "Let's go, quick. Before they can call me back for another session."  
  
Dinner was a fairly simple one. Or, Luke reflected, as simple as it could get with Lando Calrissian at the table. The twins were looking innocent, and Anakin, who tried to be as good in acting as his siblings, but never could quite get it, was making a half attempt to not glance down the corridor every few seconds. Luke couldn't help but give a little snort in amusement as he thought of what they might have blown up this time. He was just going to bring Leia's attention to it, when he felt a rolling wave of destruction hit him through the Force. He gasped, heard Leia's glass hit the floor, and heard the twins and Anakin cry out. Then he heard nothing at all.   
  
  
Han saw most of his family go down, falling into food or onto the table. Everything was quiet for a moment, then Chewie let out a howl of surprise and they all rushed to help those nearest them. Looking down at Jaina's face, frozen in a look of surprise and something like pain, Lando grimaced. "What happened? Anything like this ever happen before, Han?" Han picked up his sons and shook his head numbly, the only thing he had strength enough to do. Chewie hooted mournfully as he lay Luke and Leia on a couch. "Yeah, you probably would remember it if it had. What happened?" Lando repeated. Something clicked in Han's mind. " The Force," he said, Lando whipped around in surprise. "Something bad, something real bad, happened. They all felt it." Han went pale as he said this, realising too late who else would be affected. He saw Lando get it.   
"The students!" Lando whispered.   
Han turned, calling behind him. "Chewie, stay here in case they wake up. Lando pack you bags and cross you fingers." Looking back at Leia and his kids Han muttered, too softly to be heard, "Pray I'm wrong about this one."  
  
  
  
2  
  
Leia woke slowly, hearing someone whimper beside her. She opened her eyes and looked around, then gasped in surprise. Everything was gray, and there was fog everywhere.  
"Mom, where are we?" Anakin crept to her side, Jacen and Jaina right behind him, all three of them looking strange without her knowing why.  
" I wish I knew, honey." Leia murmured. Luke sat up with a grunt and shook his head to get his hair out of his eyes. It was the same; there was something different about him. He looked almost ...transparent. Leia held his gaze and reached out to grasp his Force sense.   
" Where are we going to go?" Jaina asked, pretending not to worry, but the terror shone through in her eyes. " Well," Luke said with another grunt as he got to his feet. " We've got two options. That way, to the day part of wherever we are, or into the night."  
Leia looked to the light on her right, then back to the darkness on her left. The answer was fairly obvious. "Let's go that way." Leia suggested, pointing to her right. "At least there we'll be able to see." They all rose to their feet, and began to walk.  
About 50 meters later, Luke stopped dead " We're being followed." He said. Turning around, he froze. "Greetings." Sneered a voice.   
Leia turned, then became as rigid as Luke. A tall column of blackness stood before them.   
"You don't belong here," the voice from within the darkness purred. "So why are you here? You look and feel like Jedi, but you don't glow. Not that that matters, of course, I'll end your existence anyway. Oh, don't worry little one," cackled the darkness, as Jaina's eyes bulged and she tried to crawl away. "You'll have plenty of time to say goodbye to existence before I'm through with you." The dark cloud began to take on a form. A tall, bald figure, it's head studded with horns, and it's face a red and black nightmare. It raised it's hands and hesitated a moment, staring hard at Luke and Leia, then each of the children in turn.  
" I know you from somewhere, don't I?" the evil, horned being took another step forward. He seemed to look beyond them, into infinity. The tattooed face contorted in rage and fear, the ghastly voice screaming out a war cry, then a shriek of " Skywalker!" Familiar blue-white lightning bolts flew from his fingertips. One contacted Luke, and he fell, down into the blackness.  
  
Three glowing shapes chased the dark warrior off the three unconscious children and the two adults.   
The fearsome humanoid spat at them in contempt. "You'll pay for this, Jedi."  
Glancing down at the five limp forms that it stood in front of, one of the glowing men turned back to the speaker and spoke in a voice low enough to be a growl. "Get out of here, Sith. Never return to this place."  
"My, my, was that a threat? Temper, Jedi, temper." The Sith taunted.  
Another of the Jedi spoke. "Get out, I don't want to fight, but if you don't go..." More shapes were appearing out of the fog, and approaching the Sith without fear.  
"I won't forget this." The Sith Lord snarled. "You'll pay for this with your existence, and the existence of your families!"  
"Leave. Go back to where you belong." The first Jedi said.  
The Sith, once again a black cloud, snarled once again in anger from being robbed of it's prey, and disappeared.  
The Jedi turned together and knelt where the five lay. The second Jedi laid a hand on each forehead in turn and the first Jedi sighed in puzzlement.  
"It's too early for them to come, they should have a lot more time left. I wish..."  
"Don't worry, my young friend. Look," the third Jedi, who hadn't spoke a word yet, now gently lifted Luke Skywalker's limp hand. "What do you notice?"  
"He isn't...you mean he's-"  
"Yes. So how did they end up here?" The speaker lifted his head, as if listening to something no one else could hear.  
"What is it, Master?" The second Jedi spoke again.  
"They aren't the only ones. Many more just arrived, one just fell on a borderland scout."  
A small chuckle came from the first Jedi, who was hoisting two of the children in his arms.  
He turned, "Thank you captain, we appreciate your help."  
One of the figures coming through the fog nodded and picked up the third child. "Let's get home, that's all I care about."  
"Right." They started back towards the light.  
Looking down at both of the small ones he carried, the Jedi Knight sighed again.  
"Why are you here...?   
  
"You're alive."   
  
Like it? There's more coming!  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer, blah blah blah. You know what I'm trying to say... Don't sue me.  
Ask me if you want to put this on your own site or something, PLEASE!  
  
Read Chapter 1 and 2 if you want this to make ANY sense.  
  
3  
Anakin Solo woke up with a splitting headache. He sluggishly tried to open his eyes, and it took a good three or four tries before he managed it. He looked around at his room and sat up, trying to find out why he felt so...sleepy. A woman walked in and smiled at him. Very pretty, she wore her straight chestnut hair in a bun in the back that was tight up top, but moved like a wild thing freed at the bottom where it was loose. Anakin blinked, confused, as memories of the last few moments of consciousness flooded him.   
"That bad man, where's he?" Anakin looked around worriedly.   
The woman smiled gently and, Anakin thought, looked very like his mother. " Don't worry. He's gone now, and won't hurt you." She sighed "You were lucky you showed up where you did, otherwise we might not have found you until it was too late."   
Anakin frowned "We? Who saved us? Are my brother and sister okay? Are my mama and uncle Luke okay, why do I feel so sleepy?" Anakin poured all his questions out, feeling that this woman would be able to answer all of them.   
She laughed. "One at a time, one at a time! Okay, let's try this. We are a couple of close friends and myself. Those friends, who are Jedi, saved you. Your brother and sister are fine, and are sleeping in the next two rooms on the right. Your mama and Uncle Luke are fine too, and are in the two next rooms on your left. And you feel sleepy because you've had a long day." She took a deep breath. " Did I miss any?" Anakin laughed and lay back, relaxing into the soft pillows. " Why don't you sleep, and if you need anything, call me." She began to leave.   
" Wait," Anakin cried, " what's your name?"   
The woman smiled. " My name is Padme." She said.  
" Padme." Anakin said, tasting the word. "My name's Anakin."   
He fell asleep right after that last word, or else he might have heard her say, " I know.".   
  
Anakin woke twice that night, feeling feverish and calling out for his mama and his new friend, Padme. He woke a third time to see a man standing over him.   
The man saw Anakin's eyes open and said soothingly, "Padme had to go out for a few moments, I'm just standing in for her." The stranger's eyes, the same blue as uncle Luke's, Anakin realised, were wide and concerned.   
Anakin groaned a little and tossed. "Feel sick." Anakin complained. The stranger nodded thoughtfully, and then reached out a hand and laid it on Anakin's forehead. Anakin cooled, and he took a deep breath.  
The stranger murmured " Why don't you get some rest. You'll feel better in the morning."   
"Morning." Anakin repeated sleepily, already beginning to drift off.  
  
Padme Skywalker walked into the room as the little one drifted off. The tall man standing by his bed laid a cool cloth on the little one's forehead, and the boy tossed again.   
"Gentle, gentle." She scolded softly.   
The man turned, "You know I'm not good at this sort of thing." He cocked an eyebrow at her "Why didn't you bring in Jar Jar or someone else to watch over him?"   
She smiled and chuckled wryly. "I wouldn't trust Jar Jar Binks to watch a kettle boil, he'd probably manage to blow up the house trying to see how the wiring worked in the wall. Besides," She raised her brows back at him. "he's your grandson."   
Anakin Skywalker rubbed his brown hair and grinned. " Before I have my caf he's your grandson. I'm going to find some so I don't fall asleep on my feet."  
She put an arm around his broad shoulders and chuckled again. "Now it's your turn for those two o'clock feedings."   
  
4  
  
  
Anakin Skywalker crept into Jaina's room soundlessly. The child had cried out, and Anakin had woken up first, so he had gone to see what was wrong. Padme was bushed, in any case, and probably wouldn't benefit from another nocturnal journey. Looking down at his oldest grandchild, Anakin smiled and sighed. She looked so peaceful and carefree, and he did not want to wake her, not for all the spice on Kessel. He began to creep out of the small room when she tossed again and yelled something that sounded like gibberish. She woke suddenly and gasped, and Anakin felt her fresh fear. He walked slowly towards her, and her head spun towards him.   
She squinted, not awake enough to see him clearly "Who are you? You're too tall to be Uncle Luke or Dad. What do you want?"   
"It's okay," Anakin murmured softly, to calm her fear "I'm a friend. I heard you yell, and I thought I'd see what was bothering you. I promise I won't hurt you."  
"Oh, okay." Jaina rubbed her eyes and frowned up at him "You look a lot like Uncle Luke, though."  
"Do I?" Anakin smiled "No one's ever said that." Actually, he reflected, they did it all the time.  
"Except you're taller, and have darker hair, and he isn't all blue." She shuddered  
"What's wrong, little one?" Anakin squatted down by her side.  
"I had a bad dream."   
"You know," Anakin said thoughtfully, trying to sound like his wife. "sometimes it helps to talk about dreams, even if they scare you. Do you want to talk about it?"  
"Okay," Jaina said, obviously reluctant to tell of her nightmare "but it wasn't really a dream, not all of it, anyway. Uncle Luke says sometimes we can see the future or the past if we try hard."  
Anakin nodded, and smiled ruefully "I never really mastered that talent."  
"You're a Jedi?" Jaina exclaimed, surprised.  
Anakin nodded, and gestured for her to continue.  
"Well, I think I saw the past, but I didn't try at all. I saw...well, I think I saw a city in the clouds." Jaina trailed off as she stared at his face. Anakin felt a cold fist close around his heart, but willed the emotions to leave his face, and his voice. He obviously was out of practice.  
"What's wrong?" Jaina asked, confusion and worry penetrated her tone.  
"Nothing, I...keep going. You saw a 'city in the clouds'?"  
"Yeah," Jaina nodded "I saw my mom, Chewie, Lando, and part of Threepio, I think. They were running, and they looked sort of different. And then I saw stormtroopers, and they were firing at my mom! I tried to yell, but I couldn't, so I ran after them. But all of a sudden, I was in this weird room. It was all black and red, and I heard something going on below it, so I ran again. I heard something like breaking traparasteel, and then...I know this will sound weird, but I saw Darth Vader!"  
Anakin went cold, and tried hard to keep from shuddering. He had relived those moments more times then he could remember in the nightmares that taunted him through his sleep.  
Jaina continued, "He looked so scary! He was all black, like in the pictures of him I saw. And he was looking down, through the broken window; I could hear him breathing. Then he turned and looked at me, right at me. I turned and tried to run away, but I couldn't move! He came up to me, and sort of turned me around so he could see me."  
I had to look way up to see his face, or mask, or whatever." She shivered "He just looked down at me, and his breathing sounded so loud! I tried to back up, 'cause I could move again, but he put his hands on my shoulders and stopped me. He grabbed my chin and made me look up at him, but he didn't hurt me. He just made me look at him. He said, 'Luke will save me, some say, but when the day comes that you decide if I'm saved, will you remember me as this, or as what I will appear to be?' His voice was so deep, it sounded weird. Then he turned on his lightsaber, and let me go. I ran, but I tripped and fell. I heard him coming, so I turned over. He aimed his lightsaber at me, right at my neck, and he said 'It is your choice.'. And then I woke up."  
"That's quite a dream." Anakin said, his mouth as dry as Tatooine in the summer.  
"I know." She looked down at the floor "Uncle Luke told me that Darth Vader was my grandfather, but that he was trapped in the dark side 'till he killed the Emperor. He said that my grandfather was good. I don't know."  
Anakin nodded "I would be uncertain too, if I'd had that dream. What do you think, though; was he saved?"  
"I don't know, but I can't decide now. Mama always says to be fair, so I can't say if he was saved, because I haven't even met him yet."  
"But," Anakin pressed "if you met him, and he was, say...like me. Would you think he was saved?"  
"Sure. You're nice, so if he was like you, he'd be nice too."  
"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Anakin felt a warm glow lift his fallen spirits, and he smiled. Perhaps there was hope after all. Jaina yawned, and Anakin got to his feet. "Why don't you go back to sleep?"  
"But what if I have another bad dream?" Jaina looked up at him, sleepy but too scared to allow herself to sleep.  
"I think I know something that will help." Anakin closed his eyes, and laid a hand on her forehead, like he had on her brother's. He closed his eyes and concentrated, willing the most soothing memory he could think of into her subconscious. A memory of stargazing on Tatooine, of being outside with his mother. While she wouldn't have the memory itself, she would feel the emotion. Her fear faded, and she slowly lay back on the bed and fell asleep.   
  
  
5  
  
"Luke! Luke! Wake up!" Leia's voice whispered insistently by Luke's ear. Luke blinked, his eyes drifting in and out of focus. Leia slapped him lightly on the cheek. " Wake up!"  
Luke groaned at her and sat up. " I feel like someone left a rabid bantha in my skull and it's trying to get out. Why do I have to get up?" He looked over at his sister and yawned mightily in her face.   
" You aren't going to believe this, but I..."   
"You..." Luke looked at her expectantly.  
She frowned worriedly and sighed. "I don't know. Everything's so weird. We were at dinner, and now we're here. Were we kidnapped? Then where's Han, Lando, and Chewie?"   
Luke grinned tiredly. " Aren't you missing 'Where are we?' "   
"No," she whispered "I think I just figured out what happened." She was looking out the door. " Luke, I think we're dead."   
Luke frowned. "What gave you that idea?" She was still looking out the door.   
She sat back and sighed. "Luke, I got that idea because Obi-Wan Kenobi is at your door." Luke's head whipped around so fast that he was sure it was going to fall off. He stared at the man who stood at his door. Young, he had his hair cropped short, and had an intense but concerned look on his face. At Luke's stunned expression, a grin lit up his features.   
With that grin, Luke recognised him. "Ben?" He whispered, still unbelieving. "Is it really you?"  
Obi-Wan smiled. "I didn't know if you'd recognise me. We all return to our prime after we make the journey from life."  
Luke gaped, and felt sure as he was doing so that his chin was hitting the floor. "Am I...well that is to say...you know...yeah." Luke said, finally giving up putting together a sentence that made any sense. "Dead?" Obi-Wan supplied the word. "No, don't worry. You're not dead yet."   
Luke frowned, finally regaining his composure. " What do you mean, Ben? If we're here we must be. How else could we have gotten here?"  
Obi-Wan sighed. " I really don't know Luke. Two days ago there was a pouring in of new souls, but instead of just coming here or to the Sith dimension, they ended up in the borderlands. The borderlands is the place between dimensions, where Jedi and Sith can go; however, since the Sith or others in the Sith dimension frequent the place, it is not a place many go willingly. In life, you bodies are still alive, believe me, we checked as soon as you got here. We were quite surprised you came so early." Again that concerned and boyish smile.  
Luke smiled back. "You got there just in time, Ben. The whatever it was had just recognised us." At the small chuckle from Obi-Wan Luke stopped short.  
"What's so funny?" Luke asked.   
Obi-Wan laughed again. "No Luke, he didn't recognise you. And the 'whatever it was' was a Sith, a rather nasty one named Darth Maul."  
Luke frowned again, mouthing the name. "What do you mean he didn't recognise us? He had just screamed my name and shot Force Lightning bolts at us."   
"Really?" Ben smiled mysteriously. "I could have sworn he screamed Skywalker, and thrown that Force Lightning over your shoulders at the person he was screaming at. But," he added. " his aim is probably very bad."   
Luke frowned again, deeper this time. "That's what I said, he screamed my name..." Luke stopped in mid-sentence, eyes going wide.  
Obi-Wan saw this and nodded. "Yes, Luke, you're right." Luke shook his head in disbelief and blinked. Then he looked up at Obi-Wan. "Is he here? Can I see him, or is he on some sort of probation?"   
Obi-Wan shook his head. " No, Luke, he has been forgiven, there would be no point to a probation, even if any felt it necessary." Leia's sharp intake of breath reminded Luke that she was still sitting beside him, and that she had just figured out who had saved them.   
She shot up. "I need to see my children. Where are they?" her voice was sharp with fear.  
"They're fine, Leia. They're in the next three rooms on your right." Obi-Wan's voice appeared to soothe her.  
"He didn't do anything to them?" she asked, slowly sitting back down.   
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "He cured your son Anakin of a fever he developed from the quick transit, and I believe that he comforted Jaina after a nightmare, although I couldn't get the full details from him. "Leia," His voice became very serious. " He is no longer Darth Vader, merely a concerned grandparent. As a matter of fact," there was that smile again. "I believe he was up until four in the morning with your mother, keeping them comfy." He laughed. " That's a real leap for him. That man wouldn't wake up if a Krayt dragon started tap dancing on his chest, and he woke up before your mother whenever one of the children needed something. I think he's afraid of doing something wrong."   
Leia snorted. "I'll believe that when I see it."  
Obi-Wan raised his brows again. "You might get that chance soon. Meanwhile, I have to go to a meeting with the Council."   
Luke gasped. "The Jedi Council?"  
Obi-Wan nodded, another smile touching his lips. "Why Luke, would you like to come?"  
Luke fairly leapt out of bed. "Try to stop me!"  
  
6  
  
Obi-Wan led Luke through crowds of people; some that looked normal, and some that glowed like Obi-Wan. " If a person glows," Luke asked, breaking the silence as they walked. " Is that a sign that they're a Jedi?"  
Obi-Wan nodded. " It shows if we have harnessed the light side of the Force; because if inside us, in our minds, our intentions are good and we use the Force for the benefits of others, we glow. If one glows, they are given a great deal of respect. Sith don't glow, but become a black cloud that can take on shape if the spirit wills it. However, none can reach this dimension. At least, not yet. "   
"Then why don't I glow? Does that mean I'm not a Jedi?"  
"No." Obi-Wan laughed. "It just means you're not dead yet." He paused. " Luke, do you want to see your father?"   
Luke turned towards him. "Of course. He saved my life, and I've wanted to speak with him for a long time." Obi-Wan nodded and led the way into the Council room. Hearing Luke's gasp, Obi-Wan glanced around, newly appreciative of the huge room. It was ten times the size of the old senate building, and always growing. Knights and Masters, healers, pilots, and farmers, everyone who'd studied the way of the Jedi, all filed into the enormous amphitheatre. He led Luke to the seats, and nodded to the others who were sitting there. Anakin Skywalker stood, and grinned, looking youthful. Obi-Wan felt relieved, his old friend and former student was finally returning to his prime. For a while he had been so guilt racked he had been not able to do so. Then Luke moved out from behind Obi-Wan and the two caught sight of each other. Luke frowned, as if knowing the face from somewhere, but not being able to put a name to it. Anakin did look a little different then when Luke last saw him. He looked younger, and less pained. Luke's eyes suddenly widened, and he opened his mouth only to shut it again.  
"Hello, Luke." Anakin said softly. In response, Obi-Wan felt Luke's probe, his tentative touch of his father's spirit. Anakin didn't pull away from this probe; rather he opened himself up, so that Luke would have a better feel of him. Luke lifted his head and stared at Anakin, emotions running quickly across his face. He looked like he wanted to say something, then decided against it, and seated himself contentedly beside his father. Anakin sat as well.   
Obi-Wan smiled at this exchange, then spoke up. "Luke, I want you to meet the master I was apprenticed to after Yoda." Beside Anakin, a tall man rose. Obi-Wan looked up into the broad, leonine features, and felt his smile broaden. "Luke Skywalker, meet Qui-Gon Jinn." Qui-Gon and Luke shook hands and smiled at each other, but that was all they could exchange before the call went out in the Force for silence.   
  
  
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

All these characters, and all this universe belongs to the almighty George, I've made no money off of this. (mutter, mutter)  
If you want to post this story, ask me, PLEASE!!  
  
7  
  
The amphitheatre fell silent, and a Master who Anakin wasn't familiar with stood. Although the council room was so large, the man's voice carried. "We all know why we're here. The Sith attacks must cease, this has gone far enough. If we do not find a way, and a good way to keep them away from our dimension, they will undoubtedly find a way in. we have just heard reports of another attack on the Borderlands almost at our gates. We must find a way to keep them away. Does anyone have any suggestions?" Anakin heard murmurs and the shifting of robes from all sides, and had to admit that he was doing quite a bit of shifting himself. He jumped when he felt a soft breath on his ear, but he leaned in to hear what Luke was saying better. "Has this been happening a lot recently?" Luke muttered.  
"Yes, they don't give up easily once they've got an idea." Anakin muttered back. "They don't seem content with what they've got, and now they want more destruction by taking our dimension over." He sighed. "And I thought the action was over. Silly me." He felt Luke's half smile at his wry humour.   
The smile vanished. "Can they get in?"   
Anakin shrugged slightly. "I have no idea, but it's very likely that they can."   
Anakin fell quiet as Mace Windu stood far below. "I have more disturbing news still. I have just received word that a small village on Ku'ta was attacked. There were no survivors found." Anakin jolted in surprise. Ku'ta had a host of small villages, the Sith could pick and choose.   
Again there was a soft breath on his ear. " Where is Ku'ta?" Luke asked, plainly concerned.  
And well he should be, Anakin thought. "Ku'ta is a small outer rim world. It's right on the edge of our dimension."  
He felt Luke's frown. "I've never heard of it." He said.   
Anakin smiled. "Don't worry, it doesn't exist in life yet."   
"Oh." Luke said, confusion rippling out of him.   
"All worlds exist here, Luke." Anakin explained "All that have been, are now, or ever will be. If they exist for even a microsecond, they are here. And every world here is habitable."   
There was a shout from below. "If we can set up a strong enough blockade, it would keep them out for the moment."  
Anakin shook his head in disbelief and voiced his own opinion. "For the moment is good enough for now, but they would soon break it down. We need a long-term solution."   
"And your idea is..."  
Anakin smiled at the speaker "I think I'm officialy banned from plans. Weren't the exact words 'He'll get us all killed.'?" Laughter filled the hall.  
Again Anakin felt his son's frown. "Go ahead, Luke. Speak your mind." Anakin urged. "We need every idea we can get. And you have a knack for finding solutions when no one else does." Luke looked up at him, plainly surprised at the compliment.   
"Well..." Luke said. All eyes turned towards him and he blushed. "If we could turn their power against them, to form an impenetrable barrier; one that, whenever they attacked turned their attacks into energy for itself... Or maybe even join together to build one ourselves."   
Luke trailed off, then jumped as Yoda spoke up. "Work that plan could, but unfortunately no one can achieve that power." The small Jedi Master looked thoughtful.   
Obi-Wan spoke up, giving his own opinion. "If they attack us, we might be able to."   
"Perhaps." a skeptic asked from below. " But I for one don't want to wait that long, and what if that plan fails? We could be in very major trouble then."   
Luke frowned, frustrated that he understood very little of what was going on. "Why would we be able to achieve a high level of power if the Sith attack?"  
"If a spirit gets badly injured, it goes to another dimension, called the nether dimension. Spirits can crawl back up from that place, but it is a trying process, and those that have been there say that it's not a very pleasant place to be. But if a spirit is hurt that badly, it can achieve a surge of power unlike any it's ever felt before. Or so we think, it's never been proven." Anakin shook his head; going to that place wasn't something that he dreamed about. Those who had been there had come back with the stuff of nightmares as stories. That is, those who had come back.  
"Either way, it is a big risk, and not one that many would jump at."   
"You don't want to think about it." Luke looked sidelong at him, not asking a question.  
"From what I've heard, Luke, it's no place for a picnic, and that's putting it rather mildly."   
Another call in the Force then and once more there was silence. "Go, then. There will be another meeting soon. Keep thinking, but do not act unless we are attacked. May the Force be with you."   
Every soul rose to go.  
  
  
8  
Leia sat with her children on Jacen's bed.   
Jaina yawned and smiled. "I don't know, I like it here. It's always nice weather, and the air smells good, and the people are very nice." Jaina leaned over to rest on Leia's shoulder, and smiled.  
"Yeah," Anakin said "Like Padme, and that man...what was his name? Jacen, do you know?"   
Jacen frowned. "I don't know, but yeah, they're nice."   
Leia felt a shiver run down her spine. "What did the man look like, kids? Tall, brown hair?" Leia crossed her fingers.   
"Yeah, mom, that's him. Do you know his name?" Leia sagged at Jaina's responce, so Obi-Wan had told the truth. Well, she told herself, that meant nothing. She shivered again as old memories struggled to the surface of her mind. The cell, dim and small. The door hissed open to admit the huge, black, armoured bulk of Vader. Then, floating in behind him, the round, hovering shape of the interrogator.  
"Mama, are you okay?" Jaina looked up at her worriedly. Leia sighed and tried to let her worries run off her like rain off an oiled surface.   
"Yes, don't worry Jaina, I'm fine. I just..." she trailed off suddenly, staring at the woman who had just walked in the door.  
"Oh," Anakin said, brightening. "Hi, Padme."   
The woman smiled, lighting up the already bright room. "Hello, Anakin, hi Jacen, hi Jaina."   
"Hi." The twins said as one. Padme's smile grew, and Leia was swamped with memories. This beautiful woman had hid her in a trunk in her infancy, placed her in the arms of her foster father, and caused her to cry when she died. Now Leia's mother was standing before her, and all the things she had imagined she'd say, all the things she'd said in her lonely fantasies, all evaporated from her mind, to be replaced with quiet awe. A thousand emotions coursed through her veins, love, amazement, and happiness leading, but with a trace of hurt betrayal around the edges. A reptilian creature, with eyestalks and long arms and legs came into the room behind her.  
"Kids, why don't you go with Jar Jar," she said, indicating the creature that was now waving slightly. "I would like to speak with your mother for a moment." Leia locked eyes with her, and saw warmth and comfort.  
"Heyday ho, kiddies. Yousa come wit me now, okeday?" Jaina giggled as she took the reptile's--Jar Jar's--right hand.  
"I'm Jaina, this is Jacen, and this is Anakin."  
Jar Jar smiled, his reptilian bill and lips drawing up to reveal flat teeth. "Mesa Jar Jar Binks. Yousa name Anakin?" he asked, and the small boy nodded. "Can I call ya Ani?"   
The boy laughed. "Sure." They all walked out of the room.  
"Jar Jar, try not to blow up the planet." Leia's mother called after them.   
Jar Jar stuck his head back in the room and tried to look innocent. "Mesa never ever do anyting you no like, Padme, don't worry 'bout a ting!" He yanked his head back out the door and Leia heard the retreating footsteps.  
"Leia." Padme sat down and looked at Leia. "I want to catch up with you, I feel like I don't know a thing, even if I've watched you grow. Talk to me, honey." She almost sounded like she was pleading. She looked down at the floor and sighed. "I never knew, when you were conceived, the kind of life you'd have. I am very sorry that I couldn't protect you the way I would have liked to. Tell me about who you are." she spoke gently, softly, her eyes never leaving Leia's face.  
"Mother." Leia whispered, the walls that she had built inside herself crumbling. They embraced, and Padme rocked her daughter.   
  
An hour later they were still talking, covering every topic under the sun. Padme felt surges of pride storm through her as she listened to her daughter's voice.   
"Leia?" A voice suddenly interrupted. Padme turned to see Luke walked into the room. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company, I'll wait." Luke turned to go.   
"No!" Leia laughed. "Luke, don't you know who this is?"   
Luke frowned. "No, I'm sorry. What's your name? Were you with the rebellion?" Padme and Leia exchanged an amused glance.  
"No," Padme said quietly, her eyes on her son's. "I wasn't with the rebellion; at least, not in your time. My name is Padme Skywalker."  
Luke's eyes bulged, and he took a sharp breath in surprise. "I'm...I'm sorry." Was all he could stammer out.  
"It's all right, I wouldn't expect you to remember, you were far too young." She stood, and looked at him, from top to bottom.   
"You're my mother?" he swallowed hard.   
"Yes." She whispered. "And oh, how I've missed you two so." They hugged. She squeezed Luke a little harder, finally holding her baby boy after so long. They parted as they heard feet returning. Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin Solo ran into the room, with Jar Jar a step behind them. "Good, you're back. I was afraid something had happened."   
"Something almost did." Qui-Gon stood in the doorway. "Apparently, while on Alderaan, they were attacked."   
"Alderaan?" Leia asked, puzzled. "But it's gone."  
Qui-Gon smiled. "Not here. I'm Qui-Gon Jinn." He offered a hand to Leia, which she shook.   
"I'm Leia...well," she glanced at Padme "I've always gone by Organa, then by Organa Solo, but I guess if you're going by Skywalker, that I should be saying Skywalker Solo."   
Padme smiled, but there was sadness behind it. "I'm sorry I made things complicated for you." The smile vanished. "They were attacked? By what? What happened?" worry creased her face, and made her appear older.  
"By a Sith, we haven't found the exact identity." Qui-Gon replied.   
"The Sith have reached Alderaan already?" Luke cried, amazement with worry clouding his features. "Apparently just the one, it must have been left over from the attack on Ku'ta." He sighed. "The council sent Obi-Wan and Anakin to deal with it--"  
"No, they didn't, I'm right here!" Anakin Solo tugged on Qui-Gon's robes. Qui-Gon cocked an eyebrow at Padme; she sighed, glanced at Leia, who nodded with an expression like pain on her face.  
Padme cleared her throat and explained, "You know the tall man who was with me?" The kids nodded. "Well, he's my husband, and that's his name too."  
"Oh." Anakin said.   
Qui-Gon smiled "Yes, well, hopefully it won't hurt any soul anymore."  
"It won't." Padme heard her husband's voice behind Qui-Gon. "We ran it out."  
"Yes, and I think I could have gone without the running part, I'm older then you, you know, Anakin." Obi-Wan interrupted   
"Really? No." Padme smiled at her husband's mock surprise.  
"It's true, I swear it by the Force."  
"Is that a fact?"  
"Will you two please stop for two seconds? Thank you." Qui-Gon glanced behind his shoulder at the two figures and impaled them with his stare. Padme could barely see Anakin over Qui-Gon's shoulder, but what she did see was grinning impishly. They looked over Qui-Gon's shoulder at each other, and smiled.   
"Does the Council know this?" Qui-Gon asked the two men behind him.  
"They know. They weren't happy we let it go, though." Anakin sighed.   
"We let it go? Since when?" Obi-Wan turned to his tall student. "I didn't know chasing it to the gates of the Sith dimension was now considered letting it go."  
"I think they believe I should have turned into Super soul and showed it to the nether realm. There's nothing I can do that's right, is there?" He shook his head in exasperation and despair.   
"Give them time, Ani." Qui-Gon soothed, and Anakin turned just the slightest bit pink at the old nickname. The bed on which Padme sat trembled a little, and she turned to see Leia shaking ever so slightly. Jar Jar turned and started out of the room.   
"My see yousa guys later." His ears swung around with him and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had to duck to keep from being hit. The mattress trembled again. She looked up at Anakin, and saw that her husband had seen it too.   
He turned, saying, "I'd better go." Obi-Wan nodded, and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder.  
"Wait, Anakin. I'm coming." She smiled at the rest of her family. "I'll see you later."  
She walked out to catch up with Anakin, and heard Obi-Wan whisper to her, "I'll see what I can do."  
"Thank you." She whispered back.  
  
  
9  
  
  
She and Anakin walked in silence for a while, then she spoke. "Ani, don't take it so hard, and don't tell me that you're not because I know you are. The backs of your ears turn pink when you feel bad, I think they'd qualify as neon now." They walked into the room they shared whenever they stayed on Coruscant, and Anakin fell onto the bed. He ran a hand through his short, brown hair, and she was convinced; that was another thing he did only when he was nervous or feeling excessively guilty.   
"What you did..." she began, but he interrupted her.   
"You don't understand, I still have nightmares from what I did, I'll probably have nightmares for the rest of my existence." She knew he had nightmares, she'd wake him up from them, and hold him while he shook and tried to forget. "I...I tortured her! I made her watch as her world and her foster family was destroyed! And I didn't care, didn't care about what she felt. I liked the way she feared me. I only cared that I was that much closer to battle. I cut off my own son's hand, and I only cared that he couldn't fight back when he cried out. I would have killed them all if I could. Padme, I'm a monster!"  
"No!" she yelled at him "You are not a monster! Anakin, if you were a monster I wouldn't be married to you, and I definitely wouldn't have had children with you. Think about what you're saying. What you were is not what you are now. Darth Vader ceased to exist when you threw Palpatine down into that core." She walked over to sit beside him, but he wouldn't look at her. "Anakin Skywalker, look at me." Her voice turned into a hiss, then became gentle. "Don't do this to yourself. You are your own biggest critic, and it's not the Council who you can do nothing right for, it's yourself. Please, dear; don't cause yourself this kind of misery. You know your son adores you." He finally looked up at her, and she saw in his blue eyes that she'd reached him. "Yes, Ani, you have a son. You love him, don't you."  
"Yes, I do." He said softly.  
"And you gave up your life for him. That is the greatest gift a father can give." She took his glowing hand in hers. "Anakin, do you want to know why you can't be a monster?"  
"Why?" he looked her straight in the eye, as if daring her to try to comfort him.  
"Because I love you." She said simply.   
He smiled at her, "The greatest thing about being married to you," he teased. "is that I have my very own psychiatrist right here."  
She laughed, and leaned against his shoulder, feeling his warm breath against her scalp. " It's good to know I'm of service to you." He shifted, and she could feel the muscle under his robe.   
"I love you, angel." He murmured, remembering the first time they met.   
"I love you too. Go to sleep, you look like you've gained a year."   
He smiled. "I thought women liked older guys."  
She shifted to get more comfortable. "You'll never be older then me."  
"Is that something you want to admit?"  
"Only when we're alone."  
"Obi-Wan wanted me to patrol the border tonight."  
"So go tonight, have you checked the time lately? It's lunch time."  
"Lunch? I'm hungry."  
"You're always hungry."  
"I want to eat."  
"Did you give your mother this much trouble at bedtime?"  
He laughed. "Why don't you ask her?"  
She smiled, knowing he would sense it. "Don't think I won't." She got stern "Now go to bed, young man, or I'll tell your mommy on you."  
"I'm shaking in my boots." But he was already dozing off.   
  
10  
  
Leia watched as her mother and...he walked off. She felt angry with herself for showing that much fear, but she couldn't help it. She had feared Darth Vader for too long to just accept him. She clenched her hands together to stop their shaking. "I will be going, I have an audience with the Grand Council."   
Luke frowned at Qui-Gon's words. "The Grand Council? What is that?"   
Qui-Gon smiled. "The best Jedi Masters of the order. They also tend to be the most overbearing. Every time they look at you, you feel like your tunic is untucked, or you've stopped glowing."  
"Gee, I've never felt that before." Obi-Wan muttered, just loud enough to be heard.  
Qui-Gon raised his brows. "I wasn't that bad, was I?"  
"No, but you did have a look that you'd always give me when I was younger. You always managed to make me feel like instead of my lightsaber, I'd started carrying a tulip in my belt."  
"I'll try to give you that look more often, if you liked it so much."  
"Thank you oh so very much." Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. Leia still looked nervous; yes, they would have to talk. She couldn't fear Anakin forever, Obi-Wan knew that. Anakin was known for holding a grudge against himself, and this would only help him do it.   
"Farewell." Qui-Gon gave a little bow and left the room, muttering, "Good luck." to Obi-Wan on his way out. Obi-Wan turned to Leia, but Luke beat him to it.  
"What's wrong?" Luke knew, obviously, but wanted Leia to admit her fears herself, instead of accusing her of having those fears. Smart boy, Obi-Wan thought.   
Leia sighed, and looked younger. "Kids, why don't you all take a nice nap in your rooms. You all look bushed, I'll see you in a bit."   
"Okay, Mom." Jaina nodded slowly, sensing the tension in the room. The three kids trotted from the room, and Obi-Wan closed the door after them.   
"Thank you, general." Leia murmured  
"You do look as if something's troubling you." Obi-Wan said, trying to be diplomatic.   
She smiled wanly. "You both know what's bothering me, but thanks for attempting some diplomacy."   
So much for that idea, Obi-Wan thought.   
"I can't help it." She continued "I can't think of him as anything else but Darth Vader, and believe me, I would be the last one in line to keep that memory alive. I thought I'd stopped fearing him, but apparently I haven't. He did things that I still don't want to think about, and I've had to accept that his blood runs in me. Seeing him normal like that, it just is a total overload. I can't handle that he is my father, and I don't know how you deal with it, Luke."  
"I've talked to him." Luke replied simply, as if that was all there was to it.   
She shook her head sadly. "Luke, it'll take a lot more then that to convince me that he isn't what he was."  
"Well, Leia," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully "why don't you make a start with that. Just talk to him, and see how it goes from there. It can't hurt, can it?"  
The haunted look in the girl's eyes caused him to almost wince. "General," she whispered "you'd be surprised how much it can hurt, both emotionally and physically."  
"He would never do anything to hurt you, or your children." Obi-Wan felt his expression soften. "Leia, you'll have to face him at one point, and better sooner then later. You can't spend eternity avoiding him."  
"Just watch me." She muttered fiercely.  
"Leia," Luke broke in. "just talk to him. I think it will help, it did with me. I can go with you if you want, but I think you should do it alone."   
Leia's eyes grew round, and she sputtered "Alone? Luke, are you crazy?"  
"Do you trust me?" he asked calmly.  
"Well, yes..."  
"Then you can go alone. Leia, Ben's right. You can't hide from him forever." There was a long silence after that exchange.   
"Luke," Leia said, her voice under tight control once more. "I do trust you, but please don't be far. I trust you, but I don't trust him."  
Luke nodded. "That's the reason that you're going to do this.  
  
  
  



	4. Default Chapter Title

All these characters, and all this universe belongs to the almighty George, I've made no money off of this. (mutter, mutter)  
If you want to post this story, ask me, PLEASE!!  
  
Have fun!  
  
11  
  
  
He approached the small cell, with stormtroopers behind him and cell guards in front. He breathed in, trying to ignore the pain in his chest as he did so. Reaching the cell in which the princess was kept, he stopped and opened the door, revealing the captive within. The princess cringed in front of him as he walked into the cell, and he smiled grimly beneath his breath mask, knowing that cringing would be the least of what she would be doing when he was finished with her. He signalled to the guards outside, and the interrogator droid drifted in, guided by its own repulsors. The princess gave an almost imperceptible start at the droids dramatic appearance. A needle, filled with a mind-weakening drug, aimed for her, and Vader smiled at her horror.  
"Now, Your Highness, we will discuss the location of your hidden Rebel base." Vader watched as she cringed away from the droid that approached her, and smiled again, this time in pure, predatory pleasure. This would be very interesting indeed.  
  
"Anakin, Ani, are you okay?" Padme gripped Anakin's shoulders and shook him out of his nightmare-riddled sleep.   
"It was just a dream. Shhh, shhh." Padme spoke to him as if he was a child, soothing his troubled soul.  
"I...I..." He looked up at his wife, shook his head wordlessly "I have to walk."   
"I'll come with you." Padme sat up higher beside him.  
"No, I think I'd better be alone right now." Anakin sat up, still trying to calm his heart, which was going faster then a pod racer on steroids.   
"Anakin, don't go off all alone, not again." Padme gripped his hand. "For once, please, just let me help you."  
"I don't need help." Anakin snapped. He stopped and looked at his wife again "I'm sorry."  
"You can't keep doing this to yourself, you're going to go nuts if you keep all these nightmares in. I can help you, if you'll let me."  
"I can't give you all this to put on your shoulders." Anakin hung his head.  
"I don't think anyone's shoulders would be big enough to put all your secret troubles on, Anakin Skywalker. But if you spread out the weight, we could all bear a little bit..." Anakin suddenly kissed her, cutting her off in mid thought. He just wanted relief from the coldness that haunted his sleep, and he couldn't stand being alone anymore. After a few moments they parted, staring at each other.  
"...of the burden." Padme finished.  
Anakin didn't answer immediately, glancing down to study the sheets, which were soaked with his cold sweat.  
He glanced back up, and saw Padme looking at him. "Sorry." He murmured.  
"Don't be." Padme replied. She smiled, "We are married. I'm not afraid of getting your cooties."   
"How can you stand me?" Anakin asked softly, thinking again of his daughter, trembling at the sight of him.  
"It's easy, but from now on I will need some notification of your next mood swing. How about six minutes in advance?"  
"I mean it, Padme. How can you stand being with me?" Anakin looked away again. "How can you not see me as him?"  
Padme laid an arm around Anakin's shoulders. "I've said this to you before, Ani, but I'll say it again. Many things change, but my caring for you isn't one of those things. I will always love you, husband."  
  
Shortly after, when she thought he was asleep, Padme left him. She had to go and talk to Qui-Gon, and now was as good a time as any. She left him a note, and silently slipped out the door.   
He opened his eyes.  
Padme was a great help to him, but there were some things that needed to be delt with alone. Anakin didn't mind, in fact, at the beginning, he had been so used to solitude that spending any amount of time with a crowd (any more then three people) was a challenge. He walked into the small 'fresher unit and washed his face, dryed it, and looked at his own reflection. To be able to see himself without all those scars... after all he had done he wasn't sure he deserved his old face back. He glanced down at his hands, whole and unblemished. Padme worried about him, he knew that. It had been 11 years, but he could still hear their screams.  
He would never forgive himself...   
  
  
Obi-Wan woke early the next morning, and headed out to relieve Anakin of his post at the border, near Ku'ta. The logic of placing him there was simple: the Sith had broken in once, Anakin's presence there would hopefully discourage them from breaking in there again. Transit in death was very strange, but very easy. You just thought of the place you wanted to go, and within an instant, you were there. But there was a fair amount of dizziness in doing this the first few times you did it. As he walked up behind Anakin, he smiled, remembering how he had fainted the first time he did it. The smile vanished as he saw another small form near Anakin. Jacen Solo sat near his grandfather, on a grassy slope, and they were talking.   
"Hello, you two." Obi-Wan put an emphasis on two as he spoke.   
"Hi, Obi-Wan." Jacen stood up "Want my spot?"   
"No, that's okay, there are plenty of places to sit out here." Obi-Wan turned to Anakin "So what are you two doing out here? Anything happen?"  
"Nothing happened, not even a tumbleweed moved out here, it's more desolate then Tatooine. Luke asked if I'd like to take Jacen along with me, and it was kind of hard to refuse." Anakin looked at his grandson, then up at Obi-Wan. He had dark circles under his eyes, and looked as if he had gotten little sleep. Padme had told him of the nightmares that plagued Anakin nightly, and Obi-Wan knew they had struck again.   
"Yeah," Jacen interrupted Obi-Wan's thoughts, grinning. "I just held on to one of his legs, and said I wouldn't let go until he took me."  
Obi-Wan hid his smile with a hand. "Good, I was afraid the Skywalker gene was dying out. But this proves it isn't."  
Anakin leaned back and laughed "I was never that stubborn, was I?"  
"Oh yes, and then some. It was the same thing with Luke."  
"Really?" Anakin was always curious about his children's lives before he watched over them.   
"Oh, Anakin, I could tell you so many stories... but you two need to get some rest. You've been up all night. I can't imagine your mother's too pleased with you as it is, Jacen. Run along, you two."  
"You'll be okay? I could stay with you." Anakin offered. Obi-Wan smiled; Anakin would do anything that needed to be done here, just to prove he could.  
"No, go home. And besides, you need to show Jacen how to travel around here."  
Anakin frowned "Okay, if you say so."  
"I do, now scoot."  
Anakin grinned, then his face turned into a mask of discipline. "Yes, sir, general hotpants, sir!" He saluted once, then the mask dissolved into laughter at Obi-Wan's face, which Obi-Wan was sure was turning an interesting shade of neon red. "Come on, Jacen." Anakin chuckled "Let's get you home."   
  
Anakin felt the slight waver in Jacen's small form as they came out of transit. The young boy staggered a step, and clutched his stomach. Anakin nodded in sympathy and supported the young Solo, it had been worse that morning. It had taken Jacen twenty minutes before he could stand again the first time.   
"Feeling better?" Anakin inquired as Jacen straightened up. The boy nodded.   
They walked through the door to the room Jacen stayed in, and Anakin smiled at his grandson. "Well, I'm sure you're tired, so I'll let you get some rest. Sweet dreams." Anakin turned and walked halfway to the door before stopping dead. Leia stood in the doorway, hands clutched together tightly. Their gazes froze on each other.   
"We need to talk." Leia had a tightness in her voice that froze Anakin's heart.  
"I agree, but if you don't feel comfortable, we don't have to do it now." A lump formed in his throat.  
There was pain in Leia's eyes as she motioned out the door. "No, now is the best time."  
The lump that was lodged in Anakin's windpipe wasn't going to leave anytime soon. "If that is what you feel, then yes, let's talk." Anakin moved out the door, and gestured down the hall. "We can go to my quarters, if you'd like."  
"No." Leia sounded panicked for a moment and then regained her composure. " Just out here is fine." They stared at each other, for a long silent minute, as Coruscant slowly woke.  
  
  
12  
  
Leia couldn't stop shaking. There were so many things she wanted to do, to say. She wanted to accuse, to scream, to cry, and to ask why he was who he was. No sound issued from her throat, though. The man who stood in front of her looked down at his brown boots and would no longer meet her gaze.  
"Leia," he started, still inspecting his boots. " I know that you fear me, and I would too, if I went through what you did, but all I really want to say is that I'm sorry. I know that doesn't make up for...well, anything I did, but please let me make you believe that I really do want a second chance."  
"I know that you do. You already asked my forgiveness once."  
"Is the result going to be the same as that time, on Bakura?"  
"I don't know. I thought that I had accepted this," she went on bitterly " but I don't know anymore. I just want to go home."  
He was silent for a moment. "Leia, please don't fear me." He pleaded finally. She glared daggers at him and he was quiet once more.   
Furious at herself for not controlling her emotions, she hissed, "Don't go into my mind."  
"I didn't." he insisted. "I just felt your fear, and it sickens me. I can't stand the fact that I once warranted that much fear, but I can never escape it." He sighed quietly, and Leia heard a great deal of sadness and heavy regret in that small breath. "I want to atone for everything I did. Please let me start."  
"There is no way to start atoning for everything you did." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. But looking at the man who Luke had once entrusted his life to, she could see that the bitter, hateful, toxic words had had their effect on him.   
He nodded once, numbly, and suddenly looked so much like... like who? Leia looked closely at him. Luke. He looked like Luke once had, when they had saved him from the underside of Cloud City. The same painful despair, the same exhausted defeat. He looked like a small, beaten dog, one who had just received his last kick, and now was giving up resisting. He looked... human. He turned, "I know, I just wanted to find out. I'll leave you, get some rest." He started to walk away.  
Suddenly, in Leia's eyes, he was no longer a horrible beast, with no spark of humanity in him. Instead, he was just a father asking his daughter to forgive him for the things he had done wrong and that he regretted. "No, wait, please." She cried after him. He stopped. What am I doing? Why don't I let him go? She sighed mentally Because you want to prove yourself wrong about him, that's why.  
"I'm sorry," she covered her eyes with her hand and sighed "I usually don't lose my temper so quickly. I just..."  
"No, you spoke what you felt, and I'm grateful that you did so." He turned to face her, but still didn't meet her eyes." You..."  
"No, let me say this before I stop myself. Luke sees something in you, my mother sees something in you, and my children think you make the worlds spin. I don't know what it is that they see, but I have always tried to be fair. I can't run away before I find out what it is they see. Skies above, maybe I'll start to see something too. Will you let me see?"  
"Only if you let yourself." He answered, folding his hands. "Padme and I were planning to have dinner tonight, and if you'd like to join us, with your children and Luke, of course, we'd be happy to have you."  
"I accept, although I didn't know the dead need to eat."  
"Only when we feel like it, sometimes we do miss the better things in Life. Farewell until later, then. I hope you will see what I hope you see." He turned to go.  
"I wish I knew whether I hope the same." Leia whispered, once he was out of hearing range.   
  
Padme and I were planning on having dinner tonight? Anakin slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. What a STUPID thing to say. I sounded like a idiot. He shook his head, and sighed. Force around me, I can't even speak to my own daughter without sounding like a moron. He slipped out on to a balcony and looked out on the planet. What am I going to do?  
"Brooding, Anakin?" A voice spoke out from behind him.  
Anakin turned, and smiled. "I didn't hear you come out, Bail."  
"You were thinking of other things, I bet." Bail Organa, stepped up beside him, and looked over the landscape. "And I may not be a Jedi, but I'd wager that what you were thinking about is a certain young daughter. Am I right?"  
"Yes." Anakin sighed. "I can't even face her, you can feel her fear from parsecs away." He looked down."What should I do?"  
"You're asking me?" Bail smiled and looked at him with one eye. "I think a Sith might have hit you harder then you thought, you know what to do."  
"Humor me, friend."  
"Leia...I tried to bring her up the way I thought was right, and she respects those she knows to be good people. You, my friend, are a good person, she just hasn't seen that yet." Again a smile "In many ways, Anakin, she's very much like you. Stubborn as you are, anyway."  
"So, what do I do? Save a kitty from a tree?"  
"Now you're just being stupid. All you have to do is be yourself. Show them your charm."  
"I have charm?"  
"You got Padme, didn't you?"  
"Point taken." Anakin sighed "This isn't going to be fun nor easy."  
"Did I say anything about that? Remember, no guts, no glory."  
"Okay, so anyway, are you coming tonight for dinner? Leia said she'd be there."  
"Sorry, I wish I could, but I've got plans."  
"Well, you're going to miss a good meal."  
"I still can't come."  
"Come on, I'm going to make a fool out of myself, and you have plans? This is a once in an existance oppertunity!"  
"Still busy."  
"Fine. Have fun tonight, I can assure you that even if the Sith attacked you, you'll still be having more fun than me."  
  
  
  
  
13  
  
"Obi-Wan, please," Anakin sat opposite his former master, trying to ignore the fact that Obi-Wan wasn't very good at masking his amusement "you have to help me here. Just come tonight, and I swear I'll pay you back."  
"You make it sound like such a big deal, it's only dinner!" Obi-Wan started to chuckle, then stopped and tried to make it look like he was coughing.  
"It's bigger then that, and you know it. And if you're going to try to hide that you're about to break into hysterics, at least make a good attempt. You really stink at it."  
"Well then, for that I won't come."  
"Obi-Wan, give me a break. I'm trying to make a good impression, and you're laughing that little shaved head of yours clean off! Come on, Kenobi, or you know what I'll do?"  
"What?" Obi-Wan stopped laughing long enough to draw breath.  
"I'll tell everyone who doesn't know about the time I dressed that droid up, and you talked to it for two minutes before figuring out what I did."  
"You wouldn't!"  
"Oh, I would." Anakin let a feral grin form on his lips.  
"Fine then, I'll come. What time?"  
"Around six." Anakin shrugged "I don't know, Padme's doing all the planning."   
"You are the laziest man here, Anakin. Set a good impression."  
"I'm a mechanic and a fighter, friend. I'm no good at planning dinner."  
"Are you cooking?"  
"What, you kidding? I don't want to poison the poor kids."  
"Is Qui-Gon going?"  
"Yes."  
Obi-Wan nodded, and smiled. "Begged him, did you?"  
Anakin grinned back "On my hands and knees."  
"Why didn't you do that to me?"  
"I'm not that desperate."  
"I'm so hurt."  
"Yeah, right." Anakin shook his head, and walked towards the door out of Obi-Wan's quarters.  
  
Obi-Wan watched as Anakin walked towards the door, but the slight worry for his friend's well-being made Obi-Wan call after him. "Anakin?" Obi-Wan called "Wait a minute. Are you alright? You don't look so good."  
Anakin turned back around, an innocent expression on his pleasant features. "What do you mean?"  
"You didn't get too much sleep yesterday, did you?"   
Anakin blinked, surprised. "How..." Understanding leaked into his blue eyes. "Padme told you."  
"No, not about yesterday, but soon after you came from life I noticed that you had bags under your eyes most days. I asked Padme why. She's worried about you."  
"I'm fine, really."  
"No, you're not. I remember the nightmares you had when you where young, they were pretty bad. These are worse, though, aren't they?"  
"I don't want to talk about it, Obi-Wan." Anakin hung his head, his eyes closed, and looked as if he was trying to banish a thought from his conscience. "I'm fine."  
"No, you're not. Do you think so little of me that you believe I can't see that? Tell me what's bothering you so. You have to tell someone at some point, you can't carry it around inside you forever." Obi-Wan felt his slight concern become serious worry as Anakin looked up again. It looked as if he had aged tremendously, and the stress lines under his eyes darkened. He looked like nothing so much as an old man, tired and pained.  
"Anakin, tell me, please. You're going to age, badly. Tell me how I can help you, you look as if you need it. I can help you, even if it's only a little thing. You really don't look well."  
"Obi-Wan, I don't want to talk about it. There's nothing you can do, unless you can change the past." The last sentence was uttered so softly that no one could have heard it.  
But no one didn't count for Jedi.  
"Is that was this is all about?" Obi-Wan cried "That's what the nightmares are about?" His astonished tone softened at Anakin's flinch. "Anakin, it's been eleven life-years!"  
"Since when does that make it easier?" Anakin snapped, slumping into a chair.  
Obi-Wan softened his tone further "You've started to atone for what happened, and you've become a totally different man then the one you were. You can't expect that the hurt will fade overnight, but it does fade. You've been in penance for years, apologized to everyone here that you hurt, and now I think it's time to move on." Anakin looked up sharply " Listen," Obi-Wan silenced Anakin before he started talking. "You may not be able to change the past, but you can learn from it. You've done that, Anakin. Don't do this to yourself forever."  
"Thanks for the pep talk, friend." Anakin looked a little amused, and the age dropped away from him like water off a duck.   
"I have to go help Padme. See you later, General Pantyhose." Two seconds later, as what Anakin said hit him, Obi-Wan let out an indignant yell.  
  
Dinner was something from Naboo that tasted delicious. Skies know what it's called though. Anakin mused. Having very little experience in entertaining, Anakin didn't ask about what the food was called, and as long as it was edible, he would eat it. He sat between Luke and Padme, trying not to wolf the plate down as he felt like. Even though he felt like he ate at a regular pace, he was done far sooner then anyone else, and did his best not to fidget as everyone else finished.   
"I noticed," Luke said, turning to Anakin "that no one carries their lightsaber. If you're under siege, why don't you carry your weapons?"   
"Well," Anakin replied "that's probably because we don't have them. Weapons never come with us through death. To fight, we have to rely on our own power. Some think it unfortunate that we can't fight back, and can only defend with our power. The Sith have no such reservations, though, and can fight back quite fiercely."  
"Do you think it unfortunate?" Leia asked, and in response, conversations quieted to hear the exchange.  
"I once did." Anakin replied honestly. "Be yourself". Well I hope this works. "But I don't think that way anymore. Why would we want to attack them if they don't bother us? I have no interest in what they have. The Sith dimension is anything but pleasant."  
"Like the nether realm?" Luke asked  
"Much worse, from what I've heard."  
"You haven't been there?" Leia asked, and Anakin got the impression that he was being grilled.  
"No, only Sith go there after they die, and since I wasn't a Sith when I died, I was brought here. Some have seen the place, though, and the nether realm seems like paradise compared to the Sith's home."  
"I can see why the Sith want to take this place from you." Luke murmured  
"It wouldn't do them any good if they did, they would make it into another hell. Since the beings there are so evil, the landscape is warped, so they really don't gain much by invading our dimension. I don't think they realise that yet." Anakin chuckled ruefully "And if they did, I really don't think they would care."  
After dinner, the guests started to leave.  
"See you around, General..." Anakin began, grinning down at Obi-Wan.  
"Don't start." Came the warning.  
"...Short-Shorts."   
" See you, Chosen One."  
Anakin scowled "Oh, you're no good at that."  
"Yes, well I learned from you." Obi-Wan smiled and left.  
"What did he mean by that?" Luke asked, coming up behind Anakin.  
"Don't worry about it, it's just some old prophecy. It means nothing."  
"No, I want to know. You're the Chosen One?"  
"So they tell me. But I'm not sure that it means anything, at least, not anymore."  
"So it meant something once?"  
"I suppose, is this an inquisition?"  
"It could be, if you wanted. Does the title apply to me as well?"  
"I don't know, but I don't think so."  
"Why not?"  
"Well, the prophecy was that the Chosen One was to bring balance to the Force..."  
"Rather round-about way of doing it, if you ask me." Leia interrupted, coming up to stand beside Luke.  
"I know." Anakin grimaced "But prophecies can be pretty tricky, and are sometimes interpreted wrong. For example, Obi-Wan thinks that I brought balance through you two." Anakin locked gazes with both of them, then looked away. "Qui-Gon thinks I brought balance by killing Palpatine. I'm quite a conversation piece."   
"How'd they know the Chosen One was you?" Luke asked, looking more interested then Anakin had seen him look for a while.  
"When I met Qui-Gon, I was nine. He thought there was something strange about me, so he took a medi-chlorian test on me without my knowing-"  
"Medi-chlorian test?" Luke frowned.  
"It was an old Jedi method of telling how Force-strong an individual was. A normal Jedi medi-chlorian range was anywhere from eleven to sixteen thousand, if you had higher then that you were very strong. Eighteen thousand was Master Yoda's count, I believe, and he was the strongest...well, until they found me." He shrugged "Obi-Wan told me that he told you that he 'was amazed at how strongly the Force was with me'. That's a bit of an understatement."  
"What's your count?" Luke asked, eyes wide.  
"Over twenty thousand. That was their first hint. The second was that I was a virgance."  
"A what?" Leia asked, sceptical.  
"A virgance. It...uh... means I didn't have a father." Embarrassed, Anakin lowered his eyes from Leia's.  
"What happened to him?" Leia asked, who had an indesipherable expression on her face.  
"Nothing happened to anyone. I didn't have a father, I just was. Not even my mother could explain what happened."  
"You mean, we don't have a grandfather?" Luke asked, gaping at him.  
"On my side, no."   
"Mama," Jacen interrupted, sounding as sleepy as he looked "I'm tired."  
"All right, honey, just a moment." Leia turned to Anakin as Jaina and the youngest Solo walked up "Thank you very much."  
"Yeah," Anakin Solo said, he walked up to his grandfather and reached up, wanting to be picked up.  
Anakin smiled down at his namesake and reached down and picked him up. The child clambered up to Anakin's shoulders and sat down, looking down from his perch. Leia looked up at him and smiled.  
"I think I finally see it." She said quietly, something changing in her face. Relief shone plainly through her eyes.  
"I'm glad."   
"Jacen, Jaina, Anakin," All three children looked at her sleepily, and she gestured over at her father. "I want you to meet your grandfather, Anakin Skywalker."  
Jaina gaped at Anakin "You mean you're Darth Vader?"  
"Jaina!" Leia snapped, obviously not wanting to offend the man she had just forgiven.  
"No, it's okay." Anakin looked down at his small grandchild. "I used to be, but I'm not anymore." He smiled "I couldn't stand another second in that walking tin can anyway." The kids giggled. Anakin's grin broadened as he looked down at them.  
"Guess what?" the younger Anakin spoke up, adjusting his perch on the elder's shoulders.  
"What?" Anakin asked, with a serious face but dancing eyes.  
"I got your name."  
"I know." Anakin failed to keep another smile from blossoming on his lips.   
"Come on, kids, time for bed. Anakin, get down, your grandfather's tired."  
"Oh please, mama. You don't mind, do you?"   
The elder Anakin shook his head and looked up and back to the small form perched on his shoulders, and cocked an eyebrow. "Aren't you ready for bed, little one?"   
The child yawned and smiled "Piggyback?"  
"All right, but only if you go straight to bed." Anakin looked to Leia, who nodded her consent.  
"'Kay" The youngest Solo child leaned his head on the back of Anakin's and was snoring when he was laid in his bed five minutes later.  
  
Leia watched as Anakin rose from his sleeping grandson, and turned back to Leia and Luke.   
Leia smiled at him "You have a gift with Anakin, I can never make him sleep that fast."  
"Thank you." Anakin said, obviously surprised by the complement.   
"Jacen asked me if we'd be seeing you around tomorrow, will we?" Luke asked  
"I hope so." Anakin chuckled "I normally have nothing else to do around here but sit, so I'd be glad to do anything else."  
"So I guess we'll see you tomorrow." Leia said quietly, as to not wake the sleeper behind them.   
The child tossed and grunted, and turned over long enough to yell, "Killer cheese Panthac!" then was silent.  
Leia's father broke out laughing, as did Luke. Leia just smiled and listened to them laugh. She listened to her father intently, memorising his laugh. Anakin's laugh was a soft, happy, masculine laugh. The laughter quieted, and Anakin made a slight bow, smiling "See you in the morning." He murmured.   
  
  
  
14  
  
Luke stood over him, pacing on the narrow catwalk on which he was perched. Vader padded below his son, watching him warily. The boy was stronger then he'd hoped, and was so close to the dark fire, all he needed was a little push. So close to the power that had made Vader so strong.   
"Your thoughts betray you, Father. I feel the good in you, the conflict."   
Ah, well, that was something that needed to be corrected. "There is no conflict" Vader snarled, bringing up his brilliant red saber.  
"You couldn't bring yourself to destroy me before, and I don't believe you'll destroy me now." But Luke was obviously unsure of this, he was backing away from his advancing parent.  
"You underestimate the power of the dark side. If you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny." Vader threw the bright sword, sent it slicing through the support beams, dumping Luke on the cold, hard deck. Luke fell to the deck, and rolled under the overhang to the control level. Vader strode down the stairs to meet Luke once more.   
"Good, good." The Emperor purred, still sitting in his throne. Vader had to crouch a little to enter the overhang; he looked around, Luke was nowhere to be found.   
"You cannot hide forever, Luke." Vader studied the shadows, searching for his son.   
Where are you, boy?  
"I will not fight you." Luke's disembodied voice drifted through the darkness.  
Vader turned, walked towards the voice. "Give yourself to the dark side. It is the only way to save your friends." Pain was echoing from Luke; emotional pain, fear for someone, and something else. Another's physical pain, that was it.  
"Yes, your thoughts betray you, your feelings for them are strong. Especially for..." Vader frowned, he sensed something else. Luke was trying to bury a stray thought, trying to keep something secret.   
Nothing was secret from a Sith Lord.  
Vader quietly pushed into Luke's thoughts, seeking the secret Luke struggled to hold on to. The little princess Leia? Why? She was his...his... WHAT?  
"Sister." Anger flared up, turned Vader's voice soft and deadly. Twins. Another one, hidden from him. That traitorous snake...  
"So, you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her too." Vader felt his rage simmer, turning from his wife to Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan was wise to hide her from me, now his failure is complete."  
Then Vader smiled, an idea flashing like dark lightning into his mind. It was now time for that little push. "If you will not turn to the dark side, then perhaps she will."  
"Noooo!" Luke screamed, flying at Vader in rage. They battled furiously, their sabers straining to override each other. Vader found himself pushed back, back out of the overhang, back towards the turbolift. He lost his footing as Luke pummled him. Vader lifted his saber to block another savage blow, and Luke slashed down, slicing off Vader's right hand, sending it tumbling off into the abyss.  
"Ahhh!" Vader cried out, his breath becoming more laboured. He lifted his one remaining hand in a feeble gesture of surrender. Luke kept his saber at Vader's throat, darkness welled up in his small form.  
Vader had never seen such hate-filled eyes on one so young.  
  
Anakin woke, gasping and sweating, rubbing his agony-filled right wrist, and trying his best to breathe.   
  
  
15  
  
The next morning, Luke walked along with his parents, sister, niece, nephews, and teacher. It was a strange feeling that had settled in his soul, and one that had never been felt in a long time. He breathed in deeply, trying to identify the wraith sense. Peace, it was, mixed with an incredible sense of contentment and happiness. He straightened his shoulders and breathed again, smiling. Luke saw his father half turn, not losing his pace, and glance at him. Luke settled in at his side, and felt a swell of intense pride erupt from Anakin. Suddenly, as if he knew the peace wasn't destined to last for much longer, Obi-Wan's eldest pupil spoke.   
"Luke," Anakin murmured, breaking off from the main group, and stepping to the side "do you enjoy being here?"  
Luke was taken aback. "Of course. It's so...so... oh, I wish there were a word to describe this feeling! It's past beautiful; the colours are so much brighter! The air is so much purer. I wish life was like this."  
Anakin nodded, but his blue eyes were distant. "Luke, what I meant was: would you like to go home?"  
Luke stopped dead. "What do you mean? I can't, can I? We're stuck."  
Anakin slowly shook his head. "Well, the thing is this: there is a barrier between life and death, and it's very hard to get through. However, Obi-Wan did it, Master Yoda did it, and I did it once. What was suggested when I was last with the council is this: there is a chance, a small one, but a chance nonetheless, that since your bodies are still alive, you can...well, sort of slip into them. Or since you're really not supposed to be here, you might get pulled back, if you're close enough to the border. I can't really explain it. Do you understand?"  
"I think so." Luke felt a deep sense of abandonment, a sinking, cold, bleak feeling. He didn't miss the slight hope in his father's sense. He wanted Luke to leave. Luke felt a dejected slump creep into his shoulders and quickly straightened them. But it was too late, Anakin had noticed.   
His head cocked slightly and his brow furrowed. "Luke? Are you okay? What did I say?"  
"Nothing." Luke said glumly.  
Anakin frowned, then understanding came to his eyes. "Luke, I don't want you to leave. But I...oh" he grunted in frustration. "I don't know how to say this. I know you can take care of yourself, Luke, but I just want you and Leia and the kids to be safe." A helpless look came into his eyes, as if he was almost pleading with Luke to understand. "If anything happened to you, Luke, or to Leia, or to any of the kids, Force forbid, I don't know what I'd do. You must believe me, Son."  
"I understand, but I want to help you, I need to help you."  
"No, you need to go home, the beings there need you." Suddenly Anakin jolted, jumping a handspan and landing more or less on his feet, clutching at his head. He moaned once, sliding down the wall he had landed against, and shook his head dumbly.   
"Father!" Luke ran to him and supported him with an arm.   
When Anakin didn't answer, Luke called out, "Obi-Wan! Leia! Mother! Help!" Obi-Wan came at a dead sprint around a corner, with Luke's mother in hot pursuit. Padme slid in beside Anakin on the opposite side as Luke, helping him lower Anakin to the floor. She cradled her husband's head in her lap, while Obi-Wan put his hand on Anakin's forehead. Luke squatted to the side, holding his father's hand in his own.  
Obi-Wan sadly shook his head. "He's out cold, I don't understand it. He seems like he should be fine." He looked over at Luke. "Did anything happen?"  
"No." Luke felt uncertainty tug at the corners of his mouth. "We were talking, then he jumped and fell."  
"Let's get him to his room." Obi-Wan gestured and Anakin floated up and started down the hall.  
  
Once in the room that she shared with her husband, Padme watched as Obi-Wan lowered Anakin onto the bed. She took his hand and sat next to him, looking down at his face. He looked like he was sleeping.   
Suddenly Anakin moaned softly and opened his eyes. He looked around, confused, until his eyes rested on each of the people in his room. He relaxed.  
"Anakin, what happened? Are you alright?" Obi-Wan looked concerned.  
"I'm fine, sort of. I still feel dizzy." He shook his head, as if to shake away the discomfort. He looked up at Obi-Wan in obvious worry. "Where is everyone else?"  
"They're fine, Ani." Padme soothed, but Anakin didn't relax.  
"Where are they?" he choked out the question.  
"They've gone back to Jacen's room, they said they had to get something. Why? Anakin wait!" Anakin had leapt up halfway through Obi-Wan's answer and ran out of the room, almost sliding into a wall before he could turn. He ran to Leia's room, to Anakin's room, to Jaina's room, before stopping at Jacen's door and uttering a howl of grief. Luke ran in behind him, and arrived just in time to see him run to a broken window, and cry again his helpless rage and despair to the unaware, waking dimension.  
  
  



	5. Default Chapter Title

All these characters, and all this universe belongs to the almighty George, I've made no money off of this. (mutter, mutter)  
If you want to post this story, ask me, PLEASE!!  
My e-mail addy is on my profile.  
  
Have fun!  
  
16  
  
"Gone." Obi-Wan whispered, grief and helplessness slumping his shoulders. "They're all gone." He glanced down at Anakin, who was holding his head in his hands. Obi-Wan could feel the emotional storm that raged inside of him, but he wasn't the only one struggling to control his feelings. Luke stood at the shattered window with his head bowed, and Padme sat on the empty bed, looking as hopeless as Obi-Wan felt.  
"How did they get in?" Luke asked, his voice tight. "We should have sensed them."  
"Why are we assuming it's they?" Padme asked, her body shook. "It would only take one to kidnap three kids."  
"What about Leia?" Luke pointed out. "She's a fighter, it would take at least two to take them all down. But how did they get in?"  
"How does any burglar get in?" Anakin asked, looking up for the first time.  
Obi-Wan frowned. "Well, they..."  
"Disarm the alarm, right?" Anakin stared at each of them. "And so they did. If I hadn't passed out, you two," he gestured at Padme and Obi-Wan. "would have been with them. They wouldn't have been able to get to them. And me or Luke, or both of us, would have sensed a fight, and gone to help."  
Padme slid down to where Anakin was and looked at him. "This isn't your fault."  
"Father, blaming yourself won't get them back, it will only give the Sith more time to get away. We've got to find them."  
"Oh, no." Anakin said, pointing at Luke. "There is no we. You are going to stay here."  
"What? Father, I need to help." Luke looked amazed that his father would even suggest such a thing.   
" I don't want to put you in danger, Luke."  
"I can take care of myself!"  
"Can you stake your existence on that?"  
"I-"  
"Stop it, you two!" Padme glared at both of them, and Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief. That argument had time bomb written all over it.  
"Arguing about who is going to do something about this isn't going to get us anywhere." Padme lowered her voice again. "We need to find out where they went."  
"No need to worry about that." Qui-Gon's voice came from behind Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan turned to see his former master come in the door and take a quick look around. A breeze blew through the broken window, making them all shiver.  
"What do you mean, Qui-Gon?" Padme asked, looking up at him. "Have they been found?"  
"No." Qui-Gon said quietly "We're under attack, the first wave just hit Tatooine."  
  
  
17  
  
  
He stood before the battered and bleeding Rebel pilot, curling his lip at the pain coming off the man in waves. The blood ran from his ears in streams, running down his neck and staining his uniform. Vader pointed towards him, sneering again at his pain.  
"Has he confessed?" He inquired, glancing at the bird-like being torturing the Rebel.   
"Indeed he has, Lord Vader!" Ban Peega, his one good eye glaring at the prisoner, cocked his head almost regretfully as he called off the droid.   
He continued, "He has just givin us the name of the being who destroyed the Death Star."  
Vader supressed a sigh. No, fool, he gave us the scores of the last boloball game. Of course he gave us his name!   
Pain blasting through his chest as he was forced to take another breath, Vader snarled "Well, what is it?"   
Ban Peega flinched at the edge to Vader's tone "Here..." He handed a recorder to Vader with a shaking wing.   
"It's set on a loop, just listen for a few seconds..." Vader rolled his eyes inside his helmet, he had better things to do then listen to this sniveling nestling.  
A voice came from the recorder, shaky, and weak, racked with pain. "Sky...Sky...Skywalker!"  
WHAT? Did he say SKYWALKER?   
"Lord Vader?!" Ban Peega squealed, as Vader's hand convulsed, crushing the recorder.  
If this was true, everyone who had heard it must die...   
  
The Council room was even more packed then was normal; but then again, Anakin mused, that wasn't a huge surprise. The panicked masses of Coruscant all waited outside the gargantuan hall, waiting for word on how the Jedi were going to deal with this crisis. Anakin was sure they would come up with something, or so he told himself. But deep in his heart of hearts, he had no idea how they were going to get out of this one.  
"Quiet! Peace, Jedi!" Yoda called out from his seat in the centre of the amphitheatre. "We must think rationally if an attempt to right this we will make!" He turned to a section of Jedi masters to his left. "The Jedi students hosted by you, where are they?"  
"Gone, Master. They were taken by force this morning, right before this meeting." A speaker cried out, the masculine voice rising in pitch in worry that it couldn't conceal.  
"The Sith have infiltrated us here twice already?" Ki-Adi-Mundi's voice carried a great deal of surprise.  
"Apparently," Obi-Wan's voice rang out sarcastically "we need a little change of security."  
But before any of the Jedi could respond to that, Anakin felt dizziness swamp him again. He felt his head roll and drop onto his chest, but he fought against the sensation, knowing that if he passed out again, something would happen.   
"Father? Are you okay?" Luke's voice carried and within seconds a healer stood beside him.   
"Anakin, focus on me." The healer's voice became faint, as if coming from a great distance. Anakin tried to focus on the hand the man held up, but his eyes wouldn't obey him anymore. He grunted in frustration, and pushed against the sleepiness with all his strength. He faintly heard a cruel laugh at his efforts, a snarl of contempt, and then the barrier was gone and he could command himself again.   
He took a deep breath. "How long was I out like that?" he asked.  
"About two minutes. Don't worry, we sent a guard of twenty to make sure none of the people outside were hurt." Obi-Wan looked out to the doors.   
"What are we going to do?" Padme asked  
"Oh, hello. I didn't see you there." Anakin blinked.  
"Nice, Ani, now I'm all hurt." She put on a look of indignation, but it dissolved quickly. "But seriously, this can't keep happening. We need to do something."  
"But we don't know where they are." Mace Windu came up beside them.  
Anakin closed his eyes, and felt Luke stretch out beside him. Anakin frowned, searching. Then, as one, both father and son replied, "They're on Telos." They looked at each other, and Anakin felt a bond form between them, something different then anything he had felt before. He smiled, maybe there was hope for him as a parent after all.   
  
  
  
  
18  
  
He stood there, as the wind whipped at his cape, and the pain in his upper arm throbbed. The boy before him ducked, and he sliced at the huge instrument under which Luke sought refuge. It flew away, and Luke glanced at it, losing concentration for a precious second. In that second, with the hand holding the blue laser sword momentarily unprotected, Vader sliced downward. Luke screamed in agony as the red blade neatly cut off his hand at the wrist. Vader stepped forward, and held his saber to Luke's throat.  
"There is no escape, don't make me destroy you." It would truly be a pity if he had to end it like that, but if Luke continued to resist his destiny, he would have to be killed.  
The boy edged backward, and crawled onto a narrow beam, his injured appendage clutched under his other arm.  
"Luke," Vader said, smiling beneath his breath mask "you do not yet realise your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will complete your training. With our combined strength we can end this destructive conflict, and bring order to the galaxy."  
"I'll never join you!" the young one snarled, angry and in pain.   
Vader's smile broadened at the play of darkness on the child's face. "If you only knew the power of the dark side." He paused briefly, studying the boy's face, which was contorted in agony.  
He threw out another taunt. "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father."  
Luke's anger raged at this comment, and Vader watched him swing down to another large instrument.  
"He told me enough!" Luke spat "He told me you killed him."  
Vader lowered his saber slightly. Ah, so that was what he'd been told. It was something Vader had wondered about.  
"No," Vader purred, savouring the moment. "I am your father."  
"No," Luke cried, shaking his head in disbelief "that's not true! That's impossible!"  
"Search your feelings, you know it to be true." Vader turned off his saber and extended a hand. Yes, he would come now, and they would rule, father and son. Pain, not purely physical, streamed from Luke, like rays of light caught by reflective surface.   
"Noooooooo!" Luke screamed.  
  
"Anakin! Ani, wake up!" Anakin woke with a start, and took a deep breath. Luke's agony seared his heart.  
"Are you alright? You're sweating." Padme looked at him with concern.   
"Yeah." He sat up, and leaned against one of the poles of the tent that they shared. He wiped the cold sweat off his brow, and shuddered. He took a deep breath. He was safe, with friends and his wife, and he was still Anakin. He grabbed his robe and got up.  
"Where are you going?" his wife pulled on her own robe and stepped beside him, leaning her head against his chest.  
"I don't know, what time is it?"  
"Almost three in the morning."  
"Great." He groaned; he would never get to sleep again that night, the dream had been too real.  
He shivered. No, it had not been a dream, it was a memory. He had been lucky, that wasn't one of the worst ones.  
"Want something while we're up?" Padme glanced up at him.  
"No, but thanks. I think I'll just walk around for a bit."  
"Alone?" She looked sad, and he knew why. As much as he loved her he pushed her away at these times.  
"Only for a bit, I'll be back soon." He pulled on some real clothes and walked out. The Jedi had decided to try and push the invaders out, or at least keep the attacks from spreading, so they had sent groups of defenders to worlds on the rim. He had been sent to Naboo with Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Mace Windu, Bant and Garren, a few of Obi-Wan's old friends, and to Anakin's immense worry, Luke. Padme had come along to "make sure she could pull their hineys out of Bantha doo doo." as she put it. Anakin suspected, however, that she felt that her presence kept them safe. He didn't argue with that, and besides, he liked having her with him. As long as, he reflected, she kept safe. He walked around the other tents and sat down on a grassy slope. He brought his knees up and bent his head into his hands. He never, ever wanted anything to do with the darkness, and if he had his way, neither would anyone else. The dark caused too much pain. He winced as he thought of what his daughter and his grandchildren might be going through. His head bowed in shame as he thought that they might be put through the tortures that he had invented. His soul had truly been as twisted as his body, in dire need of healing, until... Anakin smiled weakly in remembrance. Luke.   
He rose from his place and walked over to where his son rested. He peaked through the tent flap and smiled at his sleeping child. The boy...man, he corrected himself proudly, he was a man now. The man was strong in the force, but his innocence had been taken away from him. Anakin's smile melted away as he thought that.   
  
There was a small flash of light as someone came out of transit close by. A boy walked toward Anakin. Anakin winced inwardly; he hated it when they came from life so early. He motioned for silence, and moved a little farther from the tent so that they would not be heard.  
"What is it?" Anakin whispered.  
"The Jedi on Tatooine wanted me to tell Anakin Skywalker that the Sith are making moves in your direction, and to be wary." The boy looked exhausted.  
"I'm Anakin, thank you for your message. Why don't you spend the night here? You look bushed."  
"Thanks, I am." He smiled sleepily. "Are you related to Luke Skywalker?"  
"Yes, I'm his father." Again Anakin was reminded of the dream.  
"Really? I used to be his friend. I'm..."  
"Biggs?" Anakin turned to see Luke stagger drowsily out of his tent. "Is that you?"  
"Luke? I didn't know you were dead!" Biggs stared at the tired figure, and grinned.   
"I'm not, I got sucked in. What are you doing here?" Luke smiled back, and moved beside Anakin.  
"I had to give a message to your dad, it's so good to see you."   
Anakin smiled. "Why don't you two catch up, I'll go grab you a sleeping bag, Biggs."  
"Thanks, Mr. Skywalker."  
Anakin walked off, mouthing the title. Mr. Skywalker, he liked the sound of that. He also liked the sound of Dad. All he had ever been called before was Anakin, or Chosen One, but never "DAD" it sounded good. He picked up an extra sleeping bag and headed back to where he could hear the muffled sound of laughing.   
"Here you go." Anakin tossed the sleeping bag in the tent flap and called in, "see you two later. Try to get some sleep."  
  
"What was that about?" Padme looked at Anakin as he walked through the tent flap. "I heard something going on, what is it?"  
"A messenger arrived from Tatooine, he said the Sith are making moves to come here." Anakin sat down with a thump. " He was an old friend of Luke's, and they're doing some catching up."  
"Who is it?"  
"Biggs. Do you know him?"  
"Yes, he..." She trailed off not really wanting to tell how this particular boy had died.  
"What? Oh." Understanding came into Anakin's eyes, and shame. "I did it. Please tell me that I didn't- you know." He made a motion with his hand, like a clenching fist.  
"No, he never even knew it was you. He was in the first Death Star attack."  
"Oh." They sat for a while in silence.   
There was a small call from the outside of the tent.  
"Are you two awake?" Obi-Wan called from the outside. "We need to plan."   
  
  
  
19  
  
"We need to somehow get to Telos, and get back the ones who were kidnapped." Garen Muln said, pacing.  
"Any longer and they'll be bantha poodoo!" Anakin lapsed into huttese and nodded, and tried to hold on to his impatience.  
"We must plan, and above all, not rush into this!" Qui-Gon scolded them, shaking his head.  
"If we do rush in," Mace Windu agreed "we run the risk of getting ourselves in a worse position then they are in now. Master Qui-Gon is right."  
Anakin calmed himself. Control! He told himself sternly. There would be nothing he could do without control. He frowned, something wasn't right.   
"Anakin, what is it?" Padme asked from beside him.   
"I don't know, but things aren't like they were." Anakin turned sharply to his right, and spotted movement. A tall, dark cloud moved out from the cover of the trees and took on a form. Anakin heard Obi-Wan's sharp intake of breath, Padme's half-controlled snarl of contempt and hate, and the rising hum of power.   
It was Palpatine.  
"Is that tremor in the Force coming from you, Vader?" Palpatine smiled cruelly and cackled.  
"What do you want?" Anakin felt his sword hand shake, the muscles all aching to drive home a blow that would cease Palpatine's existance. He took a deep breath, forcing down the dark emotions, dark thoughts.  
"Why, only to speak with my former apprentice. You should be pleased, I've come to give you a message."  
"Out with it, then."   
"Why, Lord Vader, where are your manners?"  
"That isn't my name, Sith."  
"Oh," Palpatine purred, an evil and enigmatic half-smile twisting his features. "but it is. You may deny it, but Vader still lives in you, he's in your very skin. Why don't you let him out? I'm sure you want to..."  
Padme took a step forward. "Get out of here before I-"  
"You do what? Really, Your Highness, you are powerless against me."  
Obi-Wan put his hand on Padme's shoulder, holding her back. "What is your message?"  
Another cackle came from the dark man. "Only this. I hope you enjoy this, Vader!"  
Anakin reeled back as horrific images filled his mind. Leia and her children chained to a wall in a dank, tiny, and dirty prison cell. The Jedi students who Luke had taught struggled at their bonds, and cried out when one of the dark clouds that surrounded them shot a streak of Lightning at them. Anakin yelled a challenge at the Sith who gloated over Leia, while she tried to shield her children. Jaina screamed, and Anakin sank to his knees, covering his head and ears to block out the sound. The image vanished, and Anakin was left, shaking in rage and fear that he could barely control. His head came up slowly, and he grabbed what control he could. He stared at the Sith Lord, willing with all his strength to be calm. Obi-Wan's hand rested on his shoulder blade, but Anakin shrugged him off. He got up, and brushed himself off, his eyes never leaving the laughing figure before him.  
"Get out of here." Anakin gritted out.  
"I suggest," Bant said softly "you do as he says." The Mon Cal Jedi glowed like a thousand suns.  
"I will go." Palpatine said softly "But beware, Vader. I will see to it that you will see them die in front of you if you so much as try to stop us. Heed my warning." And with a swirl of blackness, he was gone.  
"This isn't good." Qui-Gon muttered.  
"Ya think?" Anakin snapped. Qui-Gon raised his brows at Anakin's sarcastic tone.  
"I'm sorry, Qui-Gon. I didn't mean any disrespect." Anakin shuddered "But I keep seeing-" He broke of as another wave of nausea at the things those prisoners were going through shook him.  
"It's all right," Qui-Gon said quietly "go cool off for a while. Then we'll decide what we are going to do about this."  
"Right." Anakin nodded and stalked off to try and gain control over himself.  
  
Padme watched as Anakin walked off, and turned back to the other Jedi. "Whatever he saw, it spooked him pretty badly. We need to find a way to get into the prison where they're being held without getting them killed."   
"I have no doubt that Palpatine will keep his word about killing the little ones." Bant said, swivelling her eyes to rest on everyone standing there. "We need to get in there without letting them know that Anakin is with us."  
"That'll be hard, the way he glows." Garen murmured  
"The way most of us glow." Obi-Wan replied. He cocked his head, seemed to be listening hard.  
"What is it?" Qui-Gon asked. Obi-Wan silenced him with a gesture and frowned.  
"Do you hear that?" he frowned harder.  
"What?" Garen asked, brows raised.  
"It sounds like..." Obi-Wan stopped short as a scream erupted from one of the tents.   
"What?" Padme cried, whirling around to face the direction of the scream.  
"Ani?" Qui-Gon yelled, turning to face the tree where Anakin had sat.  
"Anakin, where are you?" Padme looked around for her husband, but he was gone.  
  
Anakin sat down on the roots of a large tree, holding his head in his hands. Leaning back against the trunk, he let a cool breeze ruffle his hair. He couldn't forget the horrific images that had filled his mind. Leia... the poor kids, they didn't deserve that kind of treatment. A tent shifted on Anakin's right; Luke's tent. He must be waking up. Anakin smiled weakly and reached out to his son.   
"That's odd." Anakin mumbled. Luke or his friend couldn't be up, they were barely awake. There were two strong surges of intense fear, cut off as soon as they started, as though blocked. A nightmare, perhaps?  
Not bloody likely.  
Anakin was up and creeping towards Luke tent before he considered what he was up against. Another Sith attack? Possible, since the Sith probably felt that Anakin was harmless now, since he didn't want them to hurt Leia, the kids, or the students. How many? Staying low, Anakin saw one silhouette, yanking another off its feet and holding it by the throat.   
One Sith against two sleeping kids? Anakin thought in disgust.  
He smiled grimly, creeping closer, ready to pounce. One Sith against two sleeping kids and one wide-awake Jedi.  
Gotta love the odds.   
He lept off the ground and put his whole body weight into the ram. The Sith went down, and Anakin rolled out of the way, just ahead of a fierce tongue of Lightning. Anakin lept to his feet, as did the Sith.   
Anakin and Palpatine faced each other; one neutral, the other filled with scalding rage at being robbed of it's prey.  
"Vader." The Sith Lord snarled the name as if it were a curse.  
"Get out of here, Sith." Anakin strove to be calm, he stared into the blood-red eyes that had once seemed so powerful.  
"Never, you're mine." Palpatine hissed, circling.  
Anakin refused to circle with him, that would give him a shot at Luke and Biggs. "Not any more."  
"Do you think you can escape it, Vader?" Palpatine's voice turned to a mocking, persuasive, amused tone.  
"What are you talking about?" Anakin resisted the urge to advance towards him.  
"Your past. Did you ever truly believe that you could escape it?" The red eyes saw that the remark had hit home. Palpatine pushed his advantage. " Did you ever think that they would ever see you as anyone but Darth Vader? Did you? I am quite amused, Lord Vader."  
"That's not my name, I believe I've told you that before." Anakin struggled to hold on to his composure.   
"If you truly believe that, you are more foolish then I thought." Palpatine smiled cruelly. "Have you seen what I did to your son, Vader?"  
"If you hurt him..." Anakin's voice turned to venom.  
Palpatine cackled "See for yourself." He gestured behind Anakin, and Anakin slowly backstepped. Keeping his eyes on Palpatine, wary for an attack, he knelt at Luke's side. Luke moaned and Palpatine laughed at the sound. Luke's leg lay at an odd angle, and his face was very pale. Biggs lay behind him, a deep gash above his heart, on his collar bone. Anakin laid his hand on Luke's head, easing his pain. He did the same to Biggs.  
Luke opened his eyes. "Father? What...?"  
"It's alright, Luke. Rest. I've got everything covered, you'll be fine." Anakin soothed him.  
"Biggs?" Luke struggled to turn to his friend.  
Anakin held him down gently. "He was hurt, but he'll be alright." Anakin felt his senses scream.  
"Father, look out!" Luke looked over Anakin's shoulder, eyes round.  
Anakin spun, bringing his hands up to defend himself, when Palpatine struck him. Force Lightning struck his chest and Anakin felt the breath knocked out of him. Snarling, Palpatine struck him again. Anakin rolled out of the way, his sight blurring, his skin burning.   
Palpatine laughed.  
Anakin jumped at the sound; the hollow, hateful laugh that tormented his dreams and never left his mind. The laugh spoke of his hate of Anakin and all of Anakin's family, his contempt for Anakin's exsistance, and the pure bitterness that had consumed him since Anakin's betrayal. He fought to his feet and raised his hands in defence, trying to force the dark torment out of his body. Palpatine shifted his attack and Luke screamed. Anakin sent a blast of power towards the hate-filled Sith Lord, intercepting another attack. Palpatine suddenly ceased his attack, smiling.  
"Vader, Vader, you disappoint me. I took you in, a lost little Jedi, and this is how you repay me?" Hatred filled his face again. "Half-human fatherless slave-boy!" Magma errupted from his palm, smoking, red and yellow-hot rock. Anakin dodged the first of the molten projectiles...  
And took the second in the face.  
"Ahhhh!" Anakin cried out, trying to swipe the burning substance off his face. Lightning blasted him, and Anakin flew backward to crash into a tree.   
He sat up in the brush, and chuckled through the pain in his face. "This is going to be a long day." He picked himself up and took off, racing toward Palpatine. The former Emperor blasted him again, but Anakin's momentum carried him to smash into his attacker. They grappled, both blasting each other.   
"You know, I remember you a lot smaller." Anakin breathed.  
"That tin can over your head obviously enlarged it." Palpatine growled back.  
Palpatine lunged for Anakin's throat, but Anakin grabbed his hand and forced him back.   
"You know, it would help if you could reach my throat." Anakin panted again.   
Palpatine snarled in reply.  
Power built in both of them, and they blasted each other again. Power flashed between their hands and they both went flying backwards. Anakin landed on his feet, crouching in front of Luke and Biggs, and this time it was Palpatine, once more a black cloud, who flew into the bush.   
  
  
Obi-Wan took off, sprinting towards the source of the sound. A blinding light pierced his brain, and a huge wave of power swamped him through the Force. He stopped short; nearly falling over when Bant crashed into the back of him. The light cleared, and Obi-Wan had his first clear glimpse of the clearing that he was standing in. The grass was scorched, and tents were strewn around everywhere. Luke lay on the ground, holding his leg and wincing. Biggs lay beside him, unconscious, with a huge bruise on his head and a gash on his chest. Anakin stood in front of them; crouched like a fierce mammal, facing a huge black cloud that was just picking itself up. The cloud whirled, and Palpatine stood there once more.  
"I warned you, Vader." Palpatine snarled "Now you'll watch your child and your grandchildren die."  
"Not if we get there first." Anakin shot back.  
"We will see!" Palpatine smiled cruelly once more, then vanished, racing away into the dark woods.  
"Wonderful. Just great." Obi-Wan sighed "Let's move as soon as we can."  
"Yeah," Anakin said, turning around, and showing massive burns on his face, hands, and chest. "now it's a race."   
  
  
  
  



	6. Default Chapter Title

All these characters, and this entire universe belongs to the almighty George, I've made no money off of this. (Mutter, mutter)  
If you want to post this story, ask me, PLEASE!!  
  
Have fun!  
  
20  
  
  
Luke packed up his things, wincing slightly as his weight landed on his damaged right leg. Palpatine had attacked him and Biggs so fiercely that Luke had been caught off guard. The instant of hesitation had cost Luke a healthy leg, and nearly sent Biggs to the nether realm. Luke had been thrown backward onto the ground and he had heard the bone snap in his leg. Palpatine had shot Luke with Force Lightning until Luke couldn't fight back, and had been about to kill Biggs in front of Luke. The tongue of dark energy had swooped down, like a lightsaber, ready to cleave Biggs's head from his shoulders, but Anakin had jumped in time to prevent it. Luke heard voices arguing in the distance. Anakin's voice was definitely one of the two, and the other one was feminine. It was probably Padme. Luke stepped out of his tent into the early morning sunshine and stretched, careful with his leg. He strode over to where Biggs rested, and saw the Calimarian Jedi bent over him, healing him.   
Luke stifled a sigh. Why was it, he mentally complained, that it was his friends that always got hurt?   
The arguing voices rose a notch, but were still to muffled to make out. Luke stretched out with the Force and pinpointed the place where Anakin was. He limped over, trying to keep his weight off his leg, which now throbbed without mercy. He came up behind the arguing couple, and stopped, out of sight, when he heard their words.  
"You know I have no choice here." Anakin said "They can't be left to the Sith, and I may be the only one who can get them out."  
"Why does it always have to be you?" Luke's mother replied, her voice tight with tension. "Maybe if you weren't so eager to show Leia you're good you'd see reason. Ani, this is insane, you can't take the Sith all alone."  
"I've worked alone in the past, and it hasn't hindered me. I work better that way."  
"Ani, when will you see that you're not immortal? The Sith, if they work together, can and will overpower you. We should go in together, as a group. They won't be able to take us all."  
"Maybe not, but you're not a Jedi. If we all go, there's a good chance you'll be hurt. I'll lose control, you know that, the Sith know that, and everyone else knows that. I don't think I'm immortal, and I know they'll overpower me, but I might be able to sneak out with Leia and the others if I don't have to worry about anyone else."  
"So that's all I am to you, Ani? A worry?" Padme's voice trembled.  
"You know that's not what I said. But if you go, you'll be hurt and I won't be able to stop it."  
"No, I won't. I can protect myself."  
"Yes," Anakin agreed "but not against the Sith. You can't negotiate your way out of this one, Your Highness, I'm going to go it alone this time."  
"Have you told Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon? I'm sure they'd have something to say about all this."  
"No, and I don't plan to either." Anakin sighed "They'd try to stop me, but this time I know I'm right and they're not."  
"Like when you decided to follow Palpatine?" Padme asked quietly  
There was a long silence after that. Anakin finally spoke quietly "That was low, Padme."  
"If it's the only way to get you to listen, then I'll say what needs to be said. What about Luke? Have you mentioned this plan to him yet? Or do you just expect him to wake up one day and not have a father?"  
Anakin blew out a regretful breath "No, I can't tell him, he'd want to come along. He was injured, and he needs rest." Another sigh "Padme, by the time this mission is over I want him to have at least one parent, he's been orphaned far too many times already. I caused most...no wait, all of them"  
"Is that what this is all about?" Padme cried "Anakin, you aren't responsible for every wrong that's ever been committed. You're injured as well, and you can't keep blaming yourself, no matter how much you want to."  
"I want to?" Anakin cried, "You think I want to? I would like nothing better then to forget everything that ever happened after I fell until right before I died. How can you think I want to keep remembering everything I did?"  
"You keep trying to make up for what you did, and you don't let yourself forget. Anakin, face reality. It's been eleven years since you lived, eleven years of begging for forgiveness. I can understand the first few years of that, but eleven? Come on Ani, let it go. You changed back, we all forgive you, for skies sake move on!"  
"How can you say that?" Anakin's voice was so soft that Luke had to strain to hear him "How can you tell me to let it go? The echos of my evil are still ringing in life. I can't just let it go. Padme, I'm glad you forgave me, and I'm glad that I've begun to atone for everything I did, but it isn't enough. Why can't you see that?  
"I don't want to leave with this open wound behind me." Anakin's voice grew soft, gentle, but firm. "I wish I could be around for longer, but I can't. The prophecy isn't forfilled yet; I still have one last round to play before I can call it quits. But I don't want to leave like this, Padme, not with you glaring at my back. Please, I'm sorry, I just want to do the right thing. I wish you could see that. Please don't hate me for this, but I am going to go. Can you forgive me for this?"  
"Anakin, if you don't come back..."  
"Then I'll go down protecting my family. This has to be done, Padme. You and I both know that I'm the only one who can get a power boost large enough to keep the Sith out of here. I felt the Sith move out of here recently, and I know that everyone else did too. That means that I'm going to be fighting in the Sith dimension, on their turf, and to tell you the truth, I'm not really sure that I'll be coming back. But I don't want to go there thinking that the one I love with all my heart, and all my soul hates me. Don't make me leave for the nether realm like that." He chuckled at her weakly "I might not want to come back up if I know I'll expect a lecture from Obi-Wan and a cold silence from you. Obi-Wan's lecture I could take, but your silence is more then I can stand."  
"Anakin, I can forgive you for going to try to rescue Leia and the kids and students. I can accept that you're not going to tell Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon or Mace Windu. But running away from telling your son that you're leaving and might not be coming back anytime soon I can't accept. Luke deserves to know before he receives condolences from people who learned your fate before him. All I ask from you is to tell him. Don't you think he deserves it?"  
"Of course I do." Anakin sighed "I'll tell him before I go. I promise."  
"All right." There was a heavy silence "Anakin, come back, just please come back."  
"I will come back. Don't worry, Angel." Luke turned away, walking slowly and painfully back to his tent. He didn't want to hear any more. He shook his head, his face contorting in deep inner pain and helplessness. His father wasn't planning a rescue attempt, he was planning suicide, and Luke didn't want to let him go alone.   
"But that's exactly why he didn't want to tell me he was going." Luke muttered to himself, looking at the ground. He stumbled into his tent, slumping onto the grassy surface, and tried to ignore the fire that raged inside his leg. He sighed, knowing that there would be nothing that he could do to help his father come back.  
  
  
21  
  
"Luke?" Anakin called into the small tent "Are you awake?"  
"What?" Luke mumbled groggily "Oh, yeah, come in." Anakin stooped to get into the small tent flap, and looked up to see a tired Luke. Anakin tried not to smile; Luke looked awake, but his hair looked as if he'd just touched a live electrical charge. Anakin sat, and swallowed, trying to remember the small speech he'd made up the night before. Padme had been quite insistant that he tell Luke he was going to try and rescue Leia, Jacen, Jaina, Anakin, and the rest of Luke's students from the Sith dimention, where they now were. He paused, looking hard at Luke. There was a conflict going on inside Anakin's son, and the most prominent of the whirl of emotions was fear. Not the blind terror of someone who recognised Anakin as Darth Vader, but anxiety. What did Luke know?  
"What's bothering you, son? Tell me, please."  
Luke hung his head, as if in shame. "I heard you and mother arguing last night. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to evesdrop, but I couldn't help but listen." He looked up at Anakin, his face somber. "You're leaving?"  
"Yes." Anakin replied, relieved that the burden of telling Luke himself was lifted from his shoulders. He sighed, wishing he hadn't been forced to make this decision at all. "Luke, I'm going to be blunt with you, not because it will make this easier, but beacause I think you deserve it. There's a good chance that I won't be coming back soon, but I swear to you that as soon as I do, I'll find some way to contact you or your sister."  
"If you come back at all." Luke said, eyes tracing the burns on Anakin's face."The Sith don't play games."  
"I know." Anakin said, smiling lopsidedly. He grew serious. "Luke, have you forgotten what happens to spirits who are injured?"  
"No, they go down to the nether realm, and have to climb back up. But what if you can't? Then what?" Luke kept his face pointed away, so that Anakin couldn't see it.  
"That's right at the end! Before that, Luke." Anakin kept his tone as soothing as possible, as he had seen Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon do, to mend the hurt in his boy's soul.  
"They get a..." Luke tensed up, turned a little, so that one eye faced Anakin. "Power boost. That's why you're going, so you can get a power boost. That's the reason, isn't it."  
"No," Anakin shook his head "I'm going so that I can get our family and your students back. Luke, once I get that boost I'll be able to set up that barrier that you envisioned. That will be able to keep the Sith out of here for good."  
"You sound so certain that you'll get a power boost, but I thought you said that it hadn't been proved that you'd get one.  
"I'm willing to take that risk."  
" You'll have to get badly injured. But you weren't planning on coming back, were you?"  
"Luke, this is the only way this will end." Anakin looked at Luke, suddenly very concerned. The storm brewing inside Luke was only getting larger. "Luke, they'll be all right, I promise."  
"It's not that." Luke slumped "This is going to be the second time that you'll leave us to save a family member. When I get back here, after I've lived my life, I want you to be here, not trapped in the nether realm."  
"Hey," Anakin bent his head down so that in would be level with Luke's. He turned Luke's face towards him, and looked him straight in the eye. "who said anything about being trapped? I can and will get back here, and you can count on the fact that I'll be here when you get back here." He sighed "I have to go, Luke." He stood, turning to go.  
"Good luck, Father." Luke called after him.  
"Farewell, Luke" Anakin turned back, to look at Luke one last time, then turned and left. He wanted to be on his way as soon as possible, but he had one last stop to make.  
  
"Padme?" Anakin crept back inside their shared tent, and saw his wife sit up against a pillow.  
"How'd he take it?" She asked him, worried.  
"He heard us talking about it last night, so he already knew."  
"Oh." Padme fell silent, then looked up at Anakin "I..." She looked down again. "Be careful, Ani."  
"You know I will be." He knelt down beside her, and put an arm around her shoulders. To his surprise, they were ridged, and trembling. She leaned into his arms, and he hugged her tightly. He tried to memorise the feeling, because he knew that there would be nights where he would miss it terribly.  
"I'll be back soon, you know that." He tried to soothe her.  
"Do I?" She whispered raggedly.  
"Well, if you don't, I'm telling you now. I'll be back soon, I promise." He kissed her, cherishing her warmth. He broke away from her regretfully, and rose to his feet once more. She got up as well, and stood shivering in the chilly morning.  
"Anakin, be home soon."  
He smiled weakly "You sound like my mother." But seeing the seriousness in her eyes, the smile faded. "I will, don't worry." He turned, unable to bear the regret much longer, and began to walk away. But after a few paces, he turned back. Padme stood there, watching him go. She raised her hand in a gesture of farewell, and he returned it. He turned once more and left the camp, and some of his loved ones behind.  
  
"Ani? Anakin? Where are you?" Obi-Wan called out to his friend, and frowned when he got no answer. Padme walked up to him, looking tired and upset.   
"What's wrong? Do you know where Anakin is? I've searched everywhere for him."  
Padme hesitated, then nodded. "I suppose it's all right to say now, but he didn't want you to know."  
"What? Oh no, what did he do now?"  
"He left to go get Leia, the kids, and the students."  
"He did WHAT?" Obi-Wan jumped up, ran a few paces, then turned back. "How long ago did he leave?"  
"He left last night, about four standard hours ago." There was a distortion once Jedi got into the Sith dimention. It was impossible for Jedi to be transported instantaneously, as could be done in their own dimention. The same thing happened to Sith who broke into the Jedi dimention.  
"Let's try to catch up to him, maybe we'll be able to help him." Obi-Wan paused "Get Luke and Qui-Gon, I'll get the rest."  
"Okay, let's move."   
  
  
22  
  
Anakin crept through the warped landscape, hiding from the various monsters that the Sith had most likely sent out to watch for him. He was ahead of Palpatine in their race for the kids; hopefully. But Palpatine knew where they were, and Anakin had to search a fair bit. He felt a disterbance in the sense of this relm, a bright spot in all the darkness, but it could be a Sith trap, or it could be a few of Luke's students, seperated from the rest to get him off track. Then again, Anakin thought, they might not have expected me this early.   
A very big, and very important maybe.   
Anakin rested at the base of a twisted tree, it's branches reaching toward the sky like a clawed hand, it's leaves withered and brown. He shivered as an acidic stench of something made his throat burn. His hand trembled as a thousand nightmares ran before his eyes, and he got up to breathe comfortably again. He leaned against the gnarled bark and spun as a howled shriek split the air, followed closely by the terrified scream of the prey. The scream died off at the end, and Anakin turned away from the sense of agaony. He shivered, looking out at the twisted land, where so many lost souls walked the the zombies from horror holo's. The fact that chilled him most was that he reconised some of the gray faces, that he had sent them here, to this bleak fate. He continued on his journey, bringing his hood up to conceal his features. He glanced around, wary. He didn't think he attracted too much attention, wearing a "borrowed" black cloak and tunic. Palpatine had taught him to conceal his spirit, and had never guessed that it might be used against him.  
Hopefully.  
There were so many things that depended on Palpatine's ignorance, and Anakin hoped it wasn't one too many. But there wasn't anything to be done about it now, he was too far into the Sith relm to just turn back and go home, even if he wanted to. But there were days that he wished he hadn't left without Obi-Wan, or Luke.  
Every night he wished Padme was beside him.  
A zombie brushed against him, and drew back in fear. Anakin turned to glance at the man, and stiffened. The zombie stared back at him.  
It was Admiral Piett.  
"My apologies, my Lord." Piett stammered, throwing himself down to lie at Anakin's feet.  
Anakin swallowed, and tried to sound angry and contemptous. "Get off my boots, fool." He snarled, hoping that it didn't sound too fake.  
"O-of course, Lord Vader."  
Anakin froze "What did you call me?"  
Piett was paniced "My upmost apologies, my lord Sith! I didn't mean to remind you of the traitor. I-I will do whatever you wish..."  
"Stop dirtying my robes, filth." Anakin spat at the now sobbing Imperial. He glanced from side to side to make sure he wasn't attracting too much attention. To his surprise, no one was even looking at him, just walking back and forth across the barren plain. He needed to get to the kids...  
Oh... he thought, looking down at the man who had commanded his super star destroyer. Here's an idea.  
"My command is this, Admiral," he paused, draining his voice of all it's regained humanity "take me to where they're keeping the Jedi."  
"Skywalker's whelps, my lord?..." Whelps, did he call them whelps? "... Of course, as you wish... but I'm afraid I can only tell you where they're being held. As you know the security is great..."  
"That does not concern me, Admiral. Tell me where they are." He waited for a few seconds. "Quickly!"  
"Y-yes, my lord. They are being kept in the Great Sith Complex, level four. If I may say so, my lord, I suggest you hurry, for some fear that Vader is coming, dispite the threats."  
"I will be the judge of how quickly I must go, fool, not you." He leaned close "You act as if you are more afraid of one Jedi then you are of me." Anakin snarled one last comment "Be gone!"  
Piett scrambled away.  
Anakin continued his journey, stalking through the black crators and potholes that decorated the landscape.  
He heard a choking sound and looked down. A young man sat huddled there, covering his face with his hands.   
He wasn't glowing, but Anakin had a feeling about him.  
Anakin moved over to him, and the boy tried to move away, but Anakin put a restraining hand on his shoulder.  
"Are you one of Skywalker's students?" Anakin muttered  
"Leave me alone!" The boy looked up and Anakin recognised him.  
It was Kyp Durron.  
"Hush! It's alright, I'm here to get you out."  
"How can I trust you? You could be just another one of the Sith, trying to bring me back. HMMMPH!" Anakin clamped a hand down on Kyp's mouth, and moved him further into the bush.   
"This should be the proof you need." Anakin removed his hood, revealing his glowing face.  
The boy's eyes widened "Jedi!"  
"Yes. Now listen to me, Kyp, and I'll tell you how to get out of here. Do you trust me?"  
"I'll do anything to get out of here." Kyp squinted up at Anakin as he raised his hood again. "Who are you, anyway?"  
"My name is Anakin."  
"No, you can't be...are you? You're Darth Vader?"  
"I was." Anakin removed one layer of his robe and handed it to Kyp. "Here, take this. Go straight north, but stick close to the brush. You'll hit the borderlands, and then you'll be able to teleport...do you know how to do that?"   
Kyp nodded "The woman who was hosting us taught us how to do that as soon as we were able to stand."  
"Good. Any questions?"  
"Yes, one. Why are you telling me this?"  
Anakin blinked at him. "Because that's how you get home, and I doubt you want to stay here."  
"I'm coming with you."  
"How'd you get a target lock on that?"  
Kyp cocked his head. "You're going to free the others, right?"  
"Yes."  
"Get the Chief of State and her kids back?"  
"Right again."  
"Do some serious butt kicking?"  
"That's not my main objective, but there's a high likelyhood of some of that."  
"Well, then, I'm there."  
"Is there any way in Life or Death that I could send you home?"  
"Nope, you're stuck with me."  
Anakin rolled his eyes to the sky. "Are you sure?"  
"Yes. Besides," he grinned. "who would give up the chance to travel with Anakin Skywalker?"  
"You'd be surprised, many people would just want to go home at this point."  
"You one of them?"  
"Not a chance in Hell. Come on,kid. Follow my lead." Pulling the cloak tight around him, he bent over and started again across the dark land.   
  
  
  
"You know, we could just be going in one great big circle." Kyp said, glancing around two days later. "The landscape never changes, and everyone looks the same."  
"We aren't going in circles." Anakin muttered back to him.  
"How do you know?"  
"We *aren't* going in circles."  
"Alright, then, have it your way." Kyp chewed on his lower lip worriedly. "Doesn't it bother you that we haven't been stopped? It can't be this easy."  
"Sure it can."  
"Okay, it can, but it isn't. And why are you so quiet, anyway? Are you okay?"  
"I see a lot of familiar faces, it isn't a very good sign. Someone's going to recognize me, or you, and then we're cooked."  
"Ahhh, you have a point."  
"And why are you so talkative today?" Anakin glanced around, making sure they weren't followed.  
"Someone's got to talk, it makes things less depressing, don't you find?"  
"It..." a tremmer made itself felt through the ground. "Uh oh."  
"What's that?" Kyp stopped, hand going automaticlly to his hip.  
"I don't know," Anakin kept walking, picking up his pace a little. " I don't want to know, either. Now *move* Kyp, don't slow down, just keep walking." Anakin led him through some bushes, and suddenly looked down into a huge crevasse.   
"Ooops." Kyp leaned over the side, looking down. "Is that a river down there?"  
"Yet another thing I don't want to know." Anakin looked back, towards where they had come from, then leaned over to get a better view of the cliff. "Not a bad view."  
"Anakin?"  
"I didn't think they had cliffs this high here."  
"Anakin..."  
"Whoa, that is deep."  
"ANAKIN!!!"  
"What?" Anakin turned around, looking straight into the very large fangs of a very large...  
"VITSA! JUMP!!!"Anakin grabbed Kyp and yanked him over the edge. Falling, they heard the vitsa hiss and leap after them, long body uncoiling to try to grab them.  
They both plummited towards the gray water, just metres away from the monster that followed. Anakin called on the Force, shoving Kyp and himself towards the rock wall beside them, away from the vitsa's head. He tried to soften their fall, wishing with all his heart that Kyp at least would survive the icy waters...  
They hit with enough force to knock the wind out of both of them, the waters trying to drag them under. Anakin struggled to stay afloat, gasping for air. Kyp surfaced and coughed, spitting up water. Anakin grabbed him and pushed him toward a rocky outcropping that was sticking out the surface of the rolling rapids. Kyp grabbed it, sputtering and coughing, and Anakin pushed him so that he could grab the rock face. Anakin got on behind him, and heard the snarl of the vitsa as it was pushed past them, farther down the river.  
"What was that?" Kyp coughed.  
"Vitsa."Anakin panted back to him, nearly out of breath from the narrow escape.  
"Mind telling me what that *is*?"  
"Something the Sith make in their spare time. They use it to catch Jedi who are lost in the borderlands."  
"Alright, so the Force wouldn't work on it?"  
"No, it'll work, but I didn't think we wanted to reveal our presence that much. A fighting vitsa's not a quiet vitsa." Anakin shuddered.  
"What's wrong?" Kyp asked, frowning.  
"They probably have a couple of those things guarding the kids. I wonder how they're sating them."  
"Sating them? I don't like the sound of that."  
"Vitsa's are probably one of the Sith's more...vile creations. They hunt and send Jedi to the nether relm for food. They drink our blood, or whatever we have that's the equivilent of blood. The stronger the Jedi is, the more appatising. I was wondering when we would run up against one."  
"Oh, and why didn't you tell me this before?"  
"You never asked."  
"You know what? I think we need some more communication skills."  
"We're on a need to know basis, kid. I know things that you don't need to know, I'll tell you when you do." He paused "When we get a little closer to where we're headed, I'll tell you more about the Sith's creatures. But you don't need to know now. Are we clear on that?"   
"Sure, just warn me next time we need to dunk in the river."  
"Will do."   
They started the long climb up the vertical rock face.   
  
22  
  
Obi-Wan frowned as he searched the gray horizon. Nothing; Anakin was so far away that his presence could no longer be felt from here. He shook his head, words that were not known to be part of his vocabulary shooting across his mind.  
  
The Great Sith Complex loomed before the two weary travelers. At least, they hoped it was the "Great Sith Complex."  
"Is that it?" Kyp murmured through the side of his mouth.  
"I think so, but I can't be sure."  
"I think it is, too. Mind telling me about some other thing that might come shooting around the corner any time now?" He looked around and saw a rodent scurrying across the ground. "What's that?"   
"Vittacita, it's a little weasel thing, but when it's threatened, it can grow to one hundred times it's regular size. It also has a ability called acid spit, which is self-explanitory."  
"And that?" Kyp nodded toward a large bird-like creature with the head of a lizard.  
"Belisall, they aren't very dangerous because they're slow as hell, but if they ever catch you they pack a hell of a bite. They're used as guards for anything the Sith feel the need to guard, because their cry can be heard from a long way away. It can deafen you if you're close enough."   
"And that?" Kyp pointed at a large creature with hideous, deformed features, and a mouth full of very sharp teeth.  
"You know what? I don't want to know. Let's not find out, shall we?"  
"Sounds like a plan to me."  
They strode towards the double doors, and Anakin heard Kyp mutter a quick curse under his breath. They walked through them, glancing around warily. Anakin pulled up his cloak to keep his glowing face hidden. Screams of pain and dispair sounded all around them, accompanied by the calls of creatures, and the laughter of Sith.  
"Ah, brothers!" A racous voice greeted them.  
"I'm not your brother, idiot, so don't name me as such." Anakin said in his best "Sith" voice.  
The Sith cackled merrily "Of course not. You..." The Sith's eyes widened as he looked into Anakin's hood, and caught a glimpse of his glowing face.  
"Jedi!!!" He screamed, loud enough for the entire complex to hear. "The Jedi are here!" He ran, screaming.  
Anakin cursed and ran after him, still cursing vehemently. Kyp ran at his side, looking annoyed.   
"How are we going to catch him?" Kyp asked breathlessly, suddenly skidding to a halt to avoid running into Anakin's back.  
"We don't." Anakin backed up slowly, motioning Kyp to move back with him.  
"What is it? Anakin..." Kyp trailed off as he saw the enormous, rearing shapes that were slithering towards them, hissing maliciously.  
  
23  
  
Luke grimiced as Obi-Wan walked back into camp, eyes downcast. This place was enough to get anyone depressed, and not finding Anakin was having it's effects on Obi-Wan. Luke walked up to him timidly.  
"We'll find him, Ben."   
"I know, but this is definitly one of the stupider things he's done." Obi-Wan smiled "It's also one of the bravest. Those two things tend to coincide in Anakin; whenever he does something brave, it's also really stupid."  
He looked at Luke tiredly "He is the only one brave enough to do something like this, though."  
  
Anakin Skywalker and Kyp Durron screamed like little girls as they ran from the nest of hissing Vitsas that they'd awakened. They sprinted around a corner, pushing their ethreal bodies to their limits. The Vitsa's were one pace behind, but unable to gain. They snapped at Anakin's heels as he grabbed Kyp and tossed him up onto a rafter. Anakin leapt up a second later and they crawled into a duct.  
"What is it..." Kyp panted "With your family and enclosed spaces?"  
Anakin coughed out a laugh. Then motioned for silence.  
Insects were everywhere, crawling and skittering around them. Anakin made a noise of utter disgust, Kyp agreeing wholeheartedly.  
They crawled over a small opening in the ceiling below them, and Anakin stopped to listen.  
"It's about time you got here, Sidious! What took you?"  
"Jedi. Vader's here?"  
"Yeah, he's around."  
"Check everywhere, I want him found. Remember, he's mine."  
"What if he's in the ducts?"  
Anakin's eyes widened, and he shoved Kyp back, moving back himself.  
"Then," Palpatine's voice got louder at every syllable "you FIND him!"  
Force lightning screamed through the ducts, barely missing them. Anakin sighed in relief.  
"Kill the students, I'll kill Vader's progeny."  
"Ohhhh, no you won't." Anakin whispered. He turned back to Kyp "Follow that guy, find and free the students, I'll get Leia and her kids and provide a distraction."  
"May the Force be with you, Anakin."  
"And with you, Kyp."  
  
Leia felt groggy as she woke. The air smelled dank and there were screams and laughter all around. Jacen woke and shivered.  
"Someone will come, won't they Momma?" Jacen whispered  
"Yes, honey, I'm sure they will. And do you know what will happen when they do?"  
"They'll-"  
"Get the bloody tar kicked out of them." A dark shape approached them, and leaned down to sneer at them.  
"Leave me alone!" Jacen yelled, waking his siblings and the Jedi students lying next to them.  
A short, cruel laugh emerged from the Sith Lord's form. "I don't think so, little one. And once Sideous gets back, I'll take the personal pleasure of torturing you...Ahhhhh!" The Sith screamed as Jacen's power erupted, scorching hot. Anakin and Jaina joined him, pushing the evil thing back.  
"Enough of this!" A new form came up beside the first, and shot Lightning out of his fingertips. The children whimpered once, then were silenced.  
"Can you not keep control of three children?" The voice was amused and scornful.  
"Why don't you try taking care of four of the Skywalker line, Sideous?"   
"I will." The shape whirled, took on a recognisable form.  
"Palpatine!" Leia whispered, holding her children close.  
"Why, hello, Your Highness, How good to see you again. I will enjoy hearing you scream while I kill you. Goodbye." He moved towards her, hands raised.  
A loud war cry rang out from the ceiling, and Palpatine jerked and looked up...  
Just in time to see Anakin Skywalker's feet smash into his chest.  
  
  
"Oooooofffff!" Palpatine went down, as did his former follower. Anakin rolled and came up between the Sith and his children.  
"Skywalker!" The former ruler of the galaxy snarled. "I warned you, and not even your vaunted power can save you or your family now. You'd do better to fall to your knees and beg for mercy then fight."  
"I'll never bend knee for you again. Ever." Anakin whispered, his eyes darting from the hateful figure to the others massing behind him.  
"If you do not fall to your knees now, Vader, I will remove them."  
"You can try, but I will resist, and I'm sure you'll leave here with less then you came with." Leia saw her father take a step back, to better protect her, and brought his hands up in front of him. There was a grim, yet strangely accepting gleam in his eyes.  
"Father?" Leia whispered   
Leia, my child, Leia heard Anakin's voice in her mind when the fighting starts I want you to rally all the ones who are here with you and get them out of here. Do not look back, just keep moving. I'll keep them busy here...No, child, don't respond to me now, just do as I ask. Please...  
There was a long pause after that, as if Anakin didn't want to say something, something painful and full of the deepest regret.  
Leia, please don't turn back for me. This is how things were always meant to be. I may not be back, and if I'm not please know how proud I am of you and your brother. Know how I love your children...  
And tell your mother that I love her.  
"Ahhhhh!" A ghastly battle cry went up among the Sith, and they charged. Anakin stood, defiance full in his eyes, and determination on his face. Raising his hands, he matched light for dark, and fought.  
"Father! No!" Leia screamed.  
GO Anakin's cried in her mind NOW Leia! I can't fight and worry about you being back there at the same time. I can do this if you run. GO!   
Sobbing, Leia grabbed her children from the ground, their manacles falling from their wrists, clattering to the ground as her father's power opened them. She ran, tears streaming down her cheeks, gathering the Jedi students, running for the exit.  
Leaving her father, the one she never knew, to cease to exist.  
They ran unhindered, no Sith lords blocked their way, no demons rose up to chase them back. All of the Sith had been called to help with the fight. They ran, sprinting on towards the light where they would be safe. Someone appeared in front of them, and Leia screamed in frustration, in deep pain, because the newcomer didn't glow. The newcomer squinted at them and was joined by others. Leia collapsed, still sobbing, but grateful the Anakin's sacrifice had not been in vain.  
"UNCLE LUKE!" Jaina squealed, jumping into Luke's arms.   
Padme ran to Leia, hugging her and rocking her, shaking with joy. Luke's students' all started talking at once, and a Mon Calimari dressed in Jedi robe ran from one to the next, checking for injuries, healing those that had them.  
"Oh, Anakin will be so glad you're okay. Did he get you out? Where is he?" Padme held Leia away from her, looking into the eyes that were so red from crying.  
"You, you don't know?" Leia asked, stifling another sob.  
"What? Oh no, what happened?" Padme's voice shook "Oh no, Ani..." She covered her face, then turned to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, who were coming towards them.  
"What is it?" Obi-Wan frowned, then his eyes widened, and he bowed his head.  
"Anakin." Qui-Gon murmured, his shoulders slumping slightly.  
  
  
24  
  
Anakin fought, slowly being pushed back. His powers were weakening, but he knew this wouldn't end unless he stopped it now. With a spasm of power, he pushed the Sith back once more, but the Lightning kept coming, and he couldn't hold it much longer. A tongue of the black energy struck his arm, and the arm went numb, the muscles twitching out of control. Anakin cried out, in pain and in defeat, and tried in desperation to hold on a little longer. But the attacks didn't cease, and soon Anakin's shield was gone. The Lightning coursed over him, cutting limbs from his control. He fell, wanting nothing now but confirmation that Leia and the others were okay.   
Then he would submit to the sleep that taunted him, staying cruelly just out of reach.   
Rough hands and claws yanked him to his feet, and held him up. He lifted his head, only to drop it again, in utter weakness and despair. He had to survive, somehow, for just a few more minutes.  
"Enough! Skywalker's mine!" Palpatine took form, and walked towards Anakin with casual menace.  
"I've been waiting a long time, boy. You took much from me, but I am going to receive my payment now." Palpatine sneered "But don't worry, I know you're a fair man, so I'll be sure to take payment out of your family as well."  
"Monster!" Anakin whispered. Something deep within him sighed, and Anakin realised that the refugees had made it to freedom. It was time.  
"Do you like apples, Sith?" Anakin asked, lifting his head to face the Sith lord. Palpatine was silent, looking at Anakin like he thought that Anakin was crazy, and some Sith in the back began to laugh.  
"Well," Anakin said pleasantly "They're all safe, and I just got a power boost the size of Coruscant." He began to glow fiercely, his form dissolving into brilliant white flame. Bright energy flew from his hands and shot towards his home, and Anakin sensed it was strong enough to deflect anything the Sith could give it.  
"HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES?" Anakin yelled joyously. Sith screamed, and shielded their faces with their hands.  
"Goodbye." Anakin sighed, sending strength to the ones he loved.  
Sleep claimed him, but he went with a smile.  
  
  
There was a huge, bright explosion from deep in the Sith dimension, and bright white energy swooped overhead. Leia felt a push from the energy, but was too exhausted to do anything about it. She let it carry her to the Jedi territory, and saw Luke and everyone else doing the same. The energy let her fall, then spread and solidified over the Sith dimension, forming a barrier of bright light. In the dim light of the dawn hours it shimmered and shone.  
"Anakin..." Obi-Wan whispered  
"That's the power boost?" Luke frowned. He sounded fine, but his face was full of despair. He looked so desolate that Leia almost started crying again.  
"He must have known...that this would happen." Obi-Wan replied, stumbling over the words. "As he faded, he must have used the last of his strength to build this. The Sith won't get out again for a long while."  
"Father...ooh" Luke groaned, and clutched his stomach, Leia felt light-headed, and she heard the children moan.  
"What's wrong?" Padme asked, fear easily heard in her voice.  
The students were starting to groan to. "I think we're going home." Luke grunted. "Thanks for everything, I'll remember this place forever."  
"No, you won't." Qui-Gon sighed. "You will have no memory of these events, of anything here, since you will live again. The trip will take all of your memories from these past weeks. I'm sorry."  
"You mean we won't remember anything?" Jacen asked in disappointment, and in fear.  
"Not as anything more then a fleeting dream, little one."  
"Did you know about this?" Luke asked, panicking.  
"Yes, I'm afraid so."  
"And you didn't tell us?" Luke looked angry, and Leia felt the pang of betrayal deep in her gut.  
"What good would it have done? There is a good side to this, Luke" Obi-Wan's tone softened the hurt inside Leia.  
"What is it? I won't ever remember who Father truly was, or what happened to him." Luke's voice was laced with anger and bitterness.  
"That's just it, you will remember." Obi-Wan smiled gently "When you truly die, it will all come back."  
"Not that it will matter, Father's gone." Leia yelled.  
"No he isn't." Obi-Wan gave Leia a quizzical look "He has just gone to the nether realm, but he'll be back. He is strong enough to climb back out, don't worry. He will be back, I promise you."   
Students started to disappear, vanishing without a trace, and Leia started to lose consciousness.  
"Goodbye." She whispered.  
  
  
26  
  
"Pray I'm wrong about this one." Han muttered.  
Luke groaned, opening his eyes and shaking his head. "What?"  
"Luke!" Han spun and turned around, ecstatic. He shook Luke and looked up as the others started to waken.  
"Leia!" Han embraced his wife, but Luke frowned. He kept feeling like there was something really important that he was forgetting, but it wouldn't come to mind. He felt sadness, and fading fear, but he didn't know why. All around people were waking, and the thought slipped away, never to return.  
  
  
The young ones vanished, and Obi-Wan turned to the ones standing behind him. Padme turned away, and he put a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
"I was telling the truth, you know. He will come back." Obi-Wan paused, looking into her face "But you know that. To think that Ani won't be back is to almost demean his strength. And you know, better then anyone, I think, how strong that man is."  
Qui-Gon smiled and nodded "He'll be back soon."  
"Soon." Padme murmured. As they started to walk away, Obi-Wan snorted softly and rolled his eyes.   
"I won't even notice he's gone." Obi-Wan sighed and straightened his tunic, knowing from the deep, knawing, raw feeling deep in his gut that he would.  
He sighed again and slowed, falling behind Qui-Gon and Padme. Looking back at the protective barrier that Anakin had set up in his final moments in this dimension, he rose up to his full height and smiled, seeing in his mind's eye the triumphant smirk Anakin would be wearing right about now.  
"Come back soon, Ani." Obi-Wan turned back to his friend and his master, and left the Sith behind.   
  
  
Leia sat, many weeks later, at the small office in the Imperial Palace, working over a new proposal. She sat up, and turned around, feeling that someone or something was watching her. For a moment she felt a soft sigh by her ear, she was certain she heard a soft, happy, masculine laugh from the same direction. And the softest words, spoken by a strangely familiar voice that she couldn't put a name to, spoke in her ear, in her mind.  
  
Thank you.  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
Breathing hurt, more then it had ever hurt before, but that didn't bother him, anymore. Luke looked down at him, and Anakin smiled at him, wanting his son to be happy.   
"...Tell your sister you were right."  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
